Former American Idol contestant and pastor found guilty of murdering wife

A former Ohio music pastor who once appeared on the TV talent competition American Idol has been found guilty of murdering his wife.

Caleb Flynn, 40, fatally shot Ashley Flynn twice in the back of the head while she slept at their Ohio home on 16 February this year, then tried to claim that intruders had shot her.

Flynn wept in court as the jury delivered its verdict after deliberating for less than three hours.

He also was found guilty of the other eight charges against him, which included aggravated murder and tampering with evidence. He faces life in prison without parole.

Closing arguments ended on Tuesday in Flynn's trial after eight days of testimony, which included a song played in court that prosecutors say he wrote and dedicated to the woman with whom he was having an affair.

Throughout the trial, the prosecution presented evidence including police body camera footage, and activity on Flynn's iPhone and Apple Watch around the time of the murder, which took place in Tipp City, a suburb of Dayton.

They also called dozens of witnesses, including his former mistress Alleigha Botner, whom he met while she was an intern at his church.

Some of their 100,000 exchanged text messages were read aloud in court. The defence called no witnesses.

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