Terry Ogle, a 79-year-old former middle school principal from Indianapolis, has been charged with murder after allegedly bludgeoning his wife, Mary Ogle, 76, to death with a hammer on January 17, 2025.
According to police, Ogle called 911 and confessed to the crime, saying, “I bludgeoned her to death.”
When asked by the dispatcher about the nature of the emergency, Ogle reportedly said, “The nature of the emergency is that there’s been some violence… she’s deceased. Yeah, she’s been down for a while.”
He went on to explain that the incident wasn’t triggered by an argument but by his suspicions of his wife having an affair.
“I think she’s having an affair. So, I lost it,” he allegedly told the operator.
When authorities arrived at the couple’s home, they discovered Mary lying in a rear bedroom with severe blunt force trauma to her head.

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Blood stains were found throughout the house, including on furniture and the walls. Two hammers, four knives, and other items were recovered from the scene.
Neighbors, shocked by the tragedy, described the couple as seemingly happy. “They would walk the neighborhood holding hands, talking to each other.
They were nice people. I just didn’t think anything like this would happen around here,” said Robert Smith, a neighbor.
After the incident, Ogle was taken to a hospital for a self-inflicted wound to his wrist before being arrested.
He faces one charge of murder and is set to appear in court on March 11, 2025. His attorney has declined to comment on the case.
The killing has left the community shaken, with many grappling to understand how a relationship that appeared stable could end in such a horrific tragedy.