‘American Idol’ contestant’s 100K texts with mistress show motive in wife’s murder, prosecutors say

Former " American Idol " contestant Caleb Flynn allegedly told his mistress he was "literally trying to think of ways to kill" his wife without going to jail before prosecutors say he shot her and staged the scene to look like a break-in.

The chilling message was among more than 100,000 texts prosecutors say Flynn exchanged with his mistress in the year before his wife, Ashley Flynn, was killed Feb.

16, WHIO in Dayton reported.

"I was up until 4 a.m. last night crying, literally trying to think of ways to kill her and not go to jail," Flynn allegedly wrote in one of the messages.

NEW JERSEY MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING WIFE WITH BARBELL ALLEGEDLY CONFESSED IN MESSAGES TO RELATIVES: REPORT Prosecutors revealed during opening statements Friday that Flynn had been carrying on a year-long affair and argued the messages showed his motive and intent, WHIO reported.

Miami County Prosecutor Paul Watkins told jurors the messages, some sent months apart and others just hours before Ashley was killed, showed Flynn repeatedly expressing hatred toward his wife and a desire to be free of her so he could pursue a future with his mistress.

MICROSOFT EXEC'S GRIEVING WIDOW FACES MAN ACCUSED OF PLOTTING HIS MURDER AS SHE REVEALS EERIE FINAL CALL Flynn has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and other charges in his wife's death.

Fox News legal analyst Josh Ritter said Sunday that one message sent the day before Ashley's killing could be particularly damaging.

LUIGI MANGIONE'S LIVESTREAM STUNT AIMS TO GET INFLUENCERS TO 'PRESSURE' JURORS: FORMER PROSECUTOR Flynn allegedly indicated that the following day would be one he would never forget and that he would make his choice for his mistress, Ritter said on "Fox & Friends Sunday." "If we were curious at all about how the prosecution would attempt to prove motive in this case, it became abundantly clear during opening statements," Ritter said.

CHARLIE KIRK MURDER CASE AS 'STRAIGHT-FORWARD' AS IT GETS, PROSECUTORS ARGUE AS CASE NEARS TRIAL DECISION Flynn's defense acknowledged the affair during opening statements but argued his conduct as a husband does not establish that he murdered Ashley, WHIO reported.

Defense attorney Emily Smith told jurors prosecutors were offering a theory built around circumstantial evidence rather than proof that Flynn killed his wife, arguing Ashley deserved justice based on more than speculation.

TEACHER FOUND DEAD WITH THROAT SLIT; DETECTIVES SCRUTINIZE HUSBAND’S SHIFTING STORY Prosecutors allege Flynn used a 9mm handgun to kill Ashley inside the couple's Tipp City, Ohio, home and then staged the scene to make it appear an intruder was responsible.

Flynn called 911 and claimed someone had broken into the home and shot his wife, audio previously obtained by Fox News Digital shows.