Man says he ‘just lost it’ and killed his wife with hammer, Indiana officials say
An Indiana man was arrested after officials said he called 911 and reported he killed his wife.
Terry Ogle, 79, is charged with murder, according to court records.
McClatchy News reached out to Ogle’s attorney for comment Jan. 23 but did not immediately hear back.
On Jan. 17, Indianapolis police officers were called for a report of a deceased person, according to a Facebook post by police.
Police said Ogle called 911 and told the dispatcher he beat his wife.
“I did it,” Ogle said, WXIN reported. “She’s deceased. Yeah, she’s been down for a while.”
Ogle told the dispatcher he beat his wife with a hammer, the outlet reported.
The dispatcher asked Ogle if he wanted to try CPR on her, but he said, “it’s too late,” according to the news outlet.
Ogle was asked what led up to the attack, the Indy Star reported. He responded saying, “It’s a long story, I’ve been under depression for a while. So, we weren’t arguing. I just lost it. I think she’s having an affair. So, I lost it,” the news outlet reported, citing court documents.
Ogle’s wife, 76-year-old Mary Ogle, was a former teacher, WTHR reported. Terry Ogle was a principal at the same school, and both retired in 2006.
“You never thought anything like this would happen,” Robert Smith, who lives near the scene, told the news outlet. “They would walk the entire neighborhood holding hands, talking to each other. They would stop and talk to me once in a while. They were nice people.”
Officers found Mary Ogle dead inside the house with apparent blunt force trauma, police said.
Investigators found blood stains throughout the home, including on a recliner, pillows, walls and a stairway leading to the basement, according to court records, WRTV reported.
“This is a tragic incident for this family and neighborhood,” Indianapolis Metro Police Department Captain Shane Foley said.
This story was originally published January 23, 2025 at 2:55 PM with the headline "Man says he ‘just lost it’ and killed his wife with hammer, Indiana officials say."
