Donnie Jackson Irvin is accused of hitting Mary Ward, 42, in the forehead with a blunt object and strangling her with an electrical cord, according to the warrant sworn to by Investigator Jerry Phillips.

Irvin is charged with malice murder in Ward’s death. Irvin, 53, is being held in the Hall County jail without bond.

Hall Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at the Dean Street residence, where the two lived, about 8:30 p.m. Friday and found the woman’s body.

The call to the Sheriff’s Office was about a domestic assault with injuries. Irvin was present when the deputies arrived. He was taken into custody.

An autopsy is expected to pinpoint the cause of death. Sheriff’s officials said the medical examiner’s office in Decatur might have results by Tuesday.