He fired a bullet "accidentally" and it went through the wall to his wife's head in the next room.

A tragic accident occurred in the small town of Greenfield, New York, where Joseph Cova, 74, had cleaned his 9mm pistol and was reloading it when a bullet accidentally fired from it.

According to a press release in the province of Saratoga, the bullet passed through the wall and then lodged in the head of Charlene Cova, the shooter's wife, 74-year-old American did not survive.

The couple, who have been married for 56 years, have three children, the US press says. So far no charges have been filed against Joseph Koufa, but the investigation is ongoing.