A retired principal accused of killing his wife, a beloved Indianapolis educator, was convicted during a bench trial June 4.
Terry Ogle, 79, was facing a murder charge. During the bench trial, Marion County Judge Marshelle Dawkins Broadwell found Ogle guilty of a lesser charge, voluntary manslaughter. She also concluded Ogle acted under “sudden heat,” meaning his judgement was likely altered during the attack on his wife.
Police took Ogle into custody in January 2025 after he called 911 saying he had bludgeoned his wife to death. Ogle’s wife, Mary Marjory Ogle — known by others as Marge Embry — was found in her house suffering from blunt force trauma. She was pronounced dead on scene.
Police found Mary Ogle on her back on the floor in a rear bedroom. The armrests of a reclining chair in the living room and the wall behind it were covered in blood. There was suspected blood in other areas of the home including the hall, stairs, basement and kitchen sink.
“It’s a long story, I’ve been under depression for a while,” Terry Ogle told Indianapolis dispatch, describing what led up to the event. “So, we weren’t arguing. I just lost it. I think she’s having an affair. So, I lost it.”
Terry Ogle also told dispatch there was a domestic disturbance between him and his wife, and that his wife was beaten with a hammer. A family member told detectives Terry Ogle had texted them saying, “I’m going to jail. I killed Mary.”
The couple worked in education for several decades. Neighbors said they “did everything together” and were frequently seen walking the streets of their neighborhood.Mary Ogle is remembered by former students as an advocate who changed lives. She was known to help students by taking them to church and spending extra time helping with homework they were confused about.Terry Ogle was the former principal of Forest Manor Middle School. He was hired by Indianapolis Public Schools in 1978, and his wife in 1970. The pair retired in 2006.Terry Ogle was prominent in education spaces around the city. He was voted onto the IPS Superintendent’s Principle Advisory Committee in 1988 and awarded the “Drum Major Instinct Award at the 37th Annual IUPUI Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dinner in 2007. He also pursued a doctoral degree.
His sentencing is scheduled for July 15.
Mia Thurow is the breaking news and criminal justice reporting intern for the Indianapolis Star. She can be reached at mthurow@gannett.com. Reporting by former IndyStar reporter Jade Jackson used for this article.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Retired principal convicted of voluntary manslaughter in wife’s killing
Reporting by Mia Thurow, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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By Mia Thurow, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
