Caleb Flynn's Neighbor Remembers Him as Model Citizen Before Wife's Murder

A neighbor says "American Idol" alum Caleb Flynn was the model citizen and ideal father ... before the singer allegedly shot his wife in the head.

As we reported ... court documents show Caleb was charged with murdering his wife Ashley in their Tipp City, Ohio, home while their two daughters slept in another room. But one neighbor tells us no one in the town would've seen this coming.

The neighbor calls Tipp City a Mayberry-like suburb where everybody knows everyone else. And in a city that represented wholesome 1950's-era Americana -- Caleb and Ashley were the perfect embodiment of the town's squeaky-clean image.

The two apparently appeared to be a perfect couple -- Caleb was heavily involved in church and Ashley took walks with the dogs and their young children. They even hosted barbecues with friends and family ... and we're told they were always polite.

Then, on February 19, a neighbor says his Ring camera picked up police officers arriving at Caleb's home at 2:45 AM, and then more showed up at 3:45 AM ... until there were 20 marked and unmarked police cars crammed into their idyllic cul-de-sac.

The neighbor says he never heard gunshots, and slept through the commotion ... but cops found Ashley in bed with at least one gunshot wound to the head and two spent shells on the floor nearby.

While no one could believe Caleb is capable of such a gruesome act, his story has been even more unbelievable for neighbors.

In released 911 audio ... Caleb claimed an intruder broke into their house and shot Ashley, but the neighbor's Ring cam didn't pick up anything until police arrived.

So, now some in the neighborhood believe he did it ... based on the overwhelming evidence.