Former American Idol contestant on trial. Plastic surgeon allegedly murders lawyer. Plus, AI scams.

September 24, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

On September 24th, three major crime stories dominated the Dateline True Crime Weekly docket: a former American Idol contestant on trial for his wife's murder, a Florida plastic surgeon found guilty of killing an attorney he was suing, and a growing wave of AI-generated "sadness bait" scams flooding social media. Each development carried its own weight, from the dramatic testimony in a small Ohio courthouse to a verdict delivered in a body-less homicide case.

Former American Idol Contestant on Trial for Wife's Murder

In Troy, Ohio, 39-year-old Caleb Flynn—who appeared on season 12 of American Idol in 2013—is on trial for the murder of his wife, Ashley Flynn. In the early morning hours of February 16th, Caleb called 911, pleading for help and claiming an intruder had broken into their home and fatally shot Ashley while she slept. He told officers he had been sleeping on the couch that night because he was sick, and only woke to the sound of the gunshot.

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What you'll learn

1 (01:21) **Episode Open & Docket Preview** - Andrea Canning introduces the three main stories: the Florida plastic surgeon trial, an update on Nolan Wells, and an AI scams report.
2 (02:17) **Former American Idol Contestant on Trial** - The trial of Caleb Flynn, charged with murdering his wife Ashley, begins in Troy, Ohio.
3 (04:46) **Caleb's 911 Call & Initial Scene** - The jury hears Caleb's frantic 911 call and testimony from first responders.
4 (06:09) **Red Flags for Investigators** - Police begin to doubt Caleb's story based on physical evidence at the scene.
5 (07:18) **Prosecution's Bombshell: Secret Affair & Murderous Texts** - The prosecutor reveals Caleb was having an affair and sent texts about wanting to kill Ashley.
6 (09:10) **Defense's Counter-Arguments** - The defense argues that the evidence is circumstantial and the affair doesn't prove murder.
7 (10:34) **Florida Plastic Surgeon Murder Trial Begins** - The trial of Dr. Tomasz Kosowski, accused of murdering attorney Steven Cozzi, is underway.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Caleb Flynn

Show Notes

In Ohio, former American Idol contestant Caleb Flynn is accused of killing his wife, Ashley, and staging the scene to look like a home break-in. Prosecutors reveal their theory of his motive – another woman. In Florida, plastic surgeon Tomasz Kosowski stands trial for the alleged murder of lawyer Steven Cozzi, who disappeared in 2023. Kosowski chose to represent himself in court. In Dateline Round Up, a major development in the case of Nolan Wells, a Mississippi teen who was found dead after a Fourth of July boat trip with friends, and updates in the murder case of University of North Carolina student Faith Hedgepeth, who was killed in her apartment in 2012. Plus, NBC News Chief Consumer Investigative Correspondent Vicky Nguyen discusses social media scams that use generative AI.

Listen to new Dateline premium podcast "Before & After with Lester Holt": https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/before-after-with-lester-holt/id6806378137

Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com.

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