BOWBELLS (AP) - A man shot his wife to death as she lay in bed, then got in bed beside her and shot himself to death, Burke County authorities said Tuesday, citing a medical examiner's report on the murder-suicide.

The bodies of Kenneth Glendenning, 58, and his wife, Roberta, 68, were found last Thursday at their rural home near Lignite, the Burke County sheriff's department said. A family member who had been unable to contact the couple since May 3 had asked the sheriff's department to check on them.

The couple were found dead in bed, and the murder weapon was found in Kenneth Glendenning's right hand, authorities said.

Burke County Sheriff Barry Jager said authorities could not be sure exactly how long the couple were dead before the bodies were found Thursday.

"The only thing that we can determine is that it was earlier in the week," he said.

Authorities have no known motive for the shooting, he said.