Nye County Commissioners Tuesday approved $100,000 in sheriff's department overtime to pay for the supervision of Dr. Ronald Cornu, 65, a dentist who wounded his wife, then shot himself in the face Dec. 3.

Sheriff's deputies have had Cornu under guard since the incident.

But Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo has now worked out a memorandum of understanding with Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie for deputies based in Las Vegas to monitor Cornu and be reimbursed $142 per day by Nye County.

DeMeo said he spent $37,000 on overtime supervising Cornu in December alone. Deputies were also paid per diem expenses for traveling to Las Vegas, he said.

Capt. Bill Becht didn't identify Cornu by name during a brief presentation to county commissioners. But he said the sheriff's department has been told he is undergoing reconstructive surgery and could be in the hospital for another two to six months.

Cornu is expected to be charged with domestic battery with a deadly weapon, substantial bodily harm and attempted murder in the first degree once he is physically well enough.

Once he's released from the hospital, Cornu could be treated at medical facilities in the Nevada prison system, Becht said.

DeMeo said Nye County already is paying $300 per day to the state prison system to care for an inmate who is under medical supervision after he committed murder and attempted suicide.

"Under the statute, I can turn them over to a responsible sheriff who will do certain things to maintain contact with the prisoner. It was a couple weekends ago I contacted Sheriff Gillespie. He was very gracious to understand our dilemma," DeMeo said.