Tenn. man's "suicide" ruled murder, wife charged

LENOIR CITY, Tenn. - A Tennessee woman is charged with murdering her husband, whose death was reported as an apparent suicide, reports CBS affiliate WVLT.

Authorities say Deborah Morton killed Ralph "Floyd" Morton on Nov. 6, 2013 in their home in Lenoir City, about 25 miles southwest of Knoxville.

Officers were reportedly dispatched to the home after a call about a possible suicide by gunshot. Ralph Morton was found unresponsive, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head on the couch in the living room, according to the station. He was later pronounced dead.

During their investigation, authorities concluded that Ralph Morton's death was not a suicide and that his wife, Deborah, had killed him.

Neighbors told WVLT that they are in disbelief over the charges and that the Morton's seemed to be a happy couple.

"We'd have a pool party and Floyd and Deb would come up and we'd swim, we'd have a cookout, a slice of watermelon. It would go on for hours," neighbor Bill Murr said, according to the station. "I wouldn't have thought in a million years this would happen right beside me."

Deborah Morton was indicted by the Loudon County Grand Jury on a charge of first-degree murder Tuesday and turned herself into authorities on Thursday. A news release from the Loudon County Sheriff's Office said that Morton showed up with her attorney, posted her $50,000 bond and then left the jail.

She is scheduled to appear in court on August 18.