Carthage police charged a man Thursday with killing his wife.

The man, Gale Lynn Frye, 66, called 911 and asked someone to come help his wife, according to sheriff’s deputies who assisted police officers.

Carthage police Sgt. John R. Gibbons responded to a home at 396 Simpson Road, with Lt. Rick T. Bickel assisting. They found Bertha Douglas Frye, 66, in the bedroom. She was dead at the scene from a single gunshot wound to the head from a .22-caliber rifle, authorities said.

After questioning him at the home and in the offices of Sheriff Lane Carter, police arrested the woman’s husband and charged him with murder.

Carthage Chief Chris Mckenzie credited the sheriff and his deputies for their rapid response and assistance with the situation. Deputies were able to bring greater resources to the investigation than the town police department, he said.

“They were huge,” he said. “They have to deal with cases like this more than we do — thank God — and we are very fortunate to have them so close by. I was very proud of our detectives who did an amazing job, but the sheriff has more resources and is always ready to help. There were four deputies and two trained, experienced crime scene investigators on the scene within 20 minutes.”

Simpson Road runs north off Monroe Street across from McDonald’s restaurant. Police officers were at the residence shortly after 3 p.m., McKenzie said.

Detectives questioned Frye at the sheriff’s office rather than the town police station, because Carter’s office has interview rooms already prepared and set up for recording and video-taping as is now required by law, McKenzie said.

“We would have had to set all that up here,” McKenzie said. “Lane Carter has it ready to go.”

Interviews and other investigation took the rest of the day and into the night. Frye was booked into the Moore County Detention Center sometime about midnight, McKenize said. District Attorney Maureen Krueger was notified at that time.

The incident is still under investigation and the actual degree of the charge was not yet determined. An initial hearing is required within 96 hours of the arrest, authorities said.

Frye is being held without bond.

Contact John Chappell at (910) 783-5841 or by e-mail at jchappell@thepilot.com.