HOUSTON — Houston police say DNA has helped them crack a brutal cold case rape and murder from seven years ago.
Joseph Richard Reyes, 31, is charged with capital murder in the death of 31-year-old Natalie Ochoa.
The victim’s body was found lying in the street at 4100 River Drive on December 16, 2011. She had been beaten, strangled and sexually assaulted.
No known DNA matches were found at the time.
Earlier this year, Reyes was convicted of an unrelated sexual offense in Conroe and was required to provide DNA as a condition of his probation.
His DNA matched the sample in Ochoa’s case.
Reyes was arrested Monday and remains behind bars.
