Joseph Reyes is accused of beating and strangling Natalie Ochoa, who was found in the middle of a southeast Houston street in December 2011.
Investigators collected DNA evidence, but said they never got a match.
Things changed, however, when Reyes was convicted of an unrelated sexual offense earlier this year.
Reyes had to submit a DNA sample, which was later linked to the Ochoa case, according to investigators.
The suspect was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder.