NEW YORK (AFP) - A 100-year-old United States man who reportedly suffered from dementia killed his wife with an axe then committed suicide in their home near New York, the authorities said on Tuesday.

Mr Michael Juskin, who turned 100 in November, killed his 88-year-old wife Rosalia as she slept in her bed on Sunday in their home in Elmwood Park, New Jersey, according to Bergen County prosecutor John Molinelli.

Mr Juskin then used a knife to slit his wrists in the bathroom, Mr Molinelli said, noting a history of "domestic issues" between the couple. A family member discovered the bodies the next day and alerted the police.

Mr Juskin's family said he suffered from dementia, according to the NorthJersey.com website, which added that the police had been called three times for domestic issues since 2012.