An Indianapolis man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after beating his wife to death with a hammer and reporting the crime to emergency dispatchers.
Terry Ogle, a 79-year-old former middle school teacher, received the sentence on Friday in Marion County court. The sentencing follows a multi-day bench trial last month where Ogle was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, according to court records. He had originally faced a charge of murder, but was found guilty of the lesser offense because the slaying occurred in the heat of the moment.
The incident took place on Jan. 17, 2025. According to dispatch records, Ogle called 911 and told the operator, “there’s been some violence” and “I lost it.”
“I did it,” Ogle told the dispatcher during the call. “Yeah, she’s been down for a while.” When the operator asked if he wanted to attempt CPR on his 76-year-old wife, Mary Ogle, he replied, “It’s too late.”
Ogle also sent a text message to his daughter following the attack, stating, “I’m going to jail. I killed Mary.”
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officers dispatched to the couple’s home found Mary Ogle lying on her back, covered with a blanket, and suffering from a severe head injury. Emergency medical services pronounced her dead at the scene.
Officers noted that Terry Ogle was also bleeding from a self-inflicted wound to his left wrist when they arrived. He was taken into police custody and transported to a local hospital for treatment before being booked into jail.
During subsequent interviews with investigators, Ogle admitted to the killing and said the situation was “a long story.” He pointed to suspected infidelity as the motive for the attack.
“I’ve been under depression for a while,” Ogle told police. “I think she’s having an affair. So, I lost it.”
Ogle maintained this account during his trial, admitting to the logistics of the attack in court. According to reports from the Indianapolis Star, both Terry and Mary Ogle had spent their careers working in the education field.
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