By Kim Palmer

CLEVELAND (Reuters) - An Ohio man was indicted for murder on Monday for shooting his ailing wife in the head while she lay in her hospital bed, authorities said.

John Wise, 66, was charged with one count each of murder, aggravated murder and felonious assault in the killing of Barbara Wise, 65, his wife of more than 40 years.

Authorities say that Wise brought a concealed weapon into his wife's hospital room at the Akron General Medical Center the night of August 4 and shot her in the head. Hospital staff tried to save her but she was pronounced dead the next day.

According to the Summit County coroner's office, Barbara Wise was being treated for extensive medical issues. Neither the coroner nor the hospital would say whether she was on life support. Local media had reported that she suffered a stroke.

Prosecutor Craig Morgan told Reuters earlier this month that "everyone would like to label this as a mercy killing. But we need to clarify facts."

Wise is being held on $1 million bond and is scheduled to be arraigned in a Summit County courthouse on Friday.

(Editing by Barbara Goldberg, Greg McCune and Philip Barbara)