Former high school principal arrested for his wife's murder after reporting her missing: Police

A former high school principal in South Carolina has been arrested for his wife's murder, authorities said.

James Yarborough called 911 to report his wife missing on Tuesday, said police in Summerville, about 25 miles outside of Charleston.

He told the responding officers that his wife, Karen, had been missing since Monday night; he said when he went to bed, his wife said she was going for a walk, according to police.

Yarborough told the authorities his wife had been upset because of a recent death and because of the illness of a family friend, according to police.

Officers found one bullet on the floor of the couple's master bedroom, but Yarborough allegedly told police he did not have a gun and did not know why it was there, according to the incident report.

The former principal had a red stain on his shirt and told the officers it was likely blood from being on blood thinners, according to police.

Meanwhile, Karen Yarborough, 63, was found dead from a gunshot wound on Tuesday in an unincorporated area of Dorchester County, police and Dorchester County coroner's officials said. Her autopsy has not yet been completed.

Yarborough was arrested and charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and obstruction of justice, said police.

Yarborough had been the principal at Summerville High School from 1994 to 1998, a spokeswoman for the school district told ABC News.

He then served as the school district's director of facilities from 1998 to 2002, according to the district. The spokeswoman declined to comment further.

The former principal has not yet entered a plea and did not immediately have an attorney listed.