Authorities are calling the death of a 65-year-old woman a homicide as an autopsy confirmed that she died from blunt force injuries to the head.

Karla A. Roberts, of Springfield, died March 23 around 10:50 a.m., according to Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon.

Roberts was struck in the head March 17 in what police describe as an act of domestic violence.

Springfield Police Deputy Chief Sara Pickford said in a March 17 news release that officers were sent to check on a woman who they were told may been a victim of domestic violence. Officers found Roberts at the 4000 block of Sand Hill Road with a serious head wound and took her to the hospital for treatment.

Allmon provided the same address when identifying Roberts.

Following the police finding Roberts with a headwound, which was around noon, a Springfield man died after jumping off the Peoria Road and Sherman Boulevard bridge and into the Sangamon River around 12:08 p.m., according to the same news release from Deputy Chief Pickford.

Allmon identified the man as Christopher Roberts, of Springfield. He was 61 years old, and he was pronounced dead at 1:45 p.m. He likely drowned, according to an autopsy and preliminary findings.

Officers found Roberts on March 17 and administered CPR, but he did not survive.

Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register. He can be reached at [email protected].