A 79-year-old man allegedly believed his wife was "possessed" when he fatally shot her in their Franklin home early Monday morning, according to court records.

Joseph Salokas, who is charged with murder, was in the midst of an "acute psychiatric event," Sussex County First Assistant Prosecutor Gregory Mueller said.

At about 2 a.m. Monday, Salokas allegedly fired a single shot from his .32-caliber handgun, killing his wife of 59 years, Loretta Salokas.

He then called 9-1-1.

"I'm reporting a shooting ... I just shot my wife," Salokas reportedly told the dispatcher, as related in the criminal complaint.

"She's just lying here," he said of his wife.

When Franklin police officers arrived at 78 North Church Road, Salokas was in the rear of the residence.

Salokas "stated that he had shot his wife and explained that she was 'possessed,'" the complaint read.

An officer walked upstairs and found Loretta Salokas dead on the floor next to the bed according to the complaint. The Morris County Medical Examiner ruled that she died from a gunshot wound to the neck.

Salokas helped police locate his handgun. He also "wept profusely," the complaint stated.

Salokas was taken to Newton Medical Center, where he remained Tuesday afternoon in custody under police guard, Mueller said.

At a 1 p.m. hearing, Superior Court Judge William McGovern ordered Solakas detained until trial. Solakas was not in the courtroom but participated via telephone, Mueller said.

McGovern approved a request from the prosecutor's office to transfer Salokas to the Ann Klein Forensic Center in Trenton for further evaluation, which Mueller said is expected to happen in the next few days.

Salokas' attorney, David Nufrio, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In addition to murder, Salokas is charged with possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.