Former middle school principal beat wife to death with hammer because he thought she was having an affair

INDIANAPOLIS (TCN) -- A 79-year-old man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for beating his wife to death with a hammer last year.

WXIN reports that on Jan. 17, 2025, Terry Ogle dialed 911 and told dispatchers, “The nature of the emergency is that there’s been some violence…I did it. She’s deceased. Yeah, she’s been down for a while. It’s too late.” Responding officers found Terry Ogle suffering from self-inflicted cuts to his wrists.

Mary Ogle, 76, was found dead from blunt force trauma injuries; she had been beaten to death with a hammer, per WXIN. Before he was taken into custody, Terry Ogle texted his daughter and told her what had happened.

According to WXIN, Terry Ogle was arrested and charged with murder the following day; he was treated for his self-inflicted injuries at the hospital first. He later told interviewers that he “just lost it” because he believed his wife was having an affair, per WXIN.

WTHR reports that the Ogles both worked for the Indianapolis Public School system and retired in 2006. Terry Ogle served as a middle school principal and Mary Ogle was a teacher. A neighbor told the outlet that the couple could often be seen walking around the neighborhood, holding hands and talking.

In April, Ogle’s attorneys filed a motion waiving his right to a jury trial, and during his bench trial, he was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter that occured under “sudden heat,” according to WXIN. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison on July 17 and received credit for 547 days served.

Mary Ogle’s obituary describes her as a woman who “was a fierce advocate for social justice and spent countless hours volunteering and serving her community.”

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