DNA evidence confirms a body found in Travis County in 1982 is that of Houston King Morris.

Police said Morris was murdered in Houston, however, his murder was not previously linked to the body found in Travis County.

The case went cold until it reopened in 2006, when DNA from the body was sent to the University of North Texas Medical Center and uploaded into a database.

Houston police then linked the body to Morris.

"Communications are so much better today," Det. Jim Anderson said. "If we had a case like this today, we're going to immediately send bones, teeth, whatever we have, hair, to UNT."

The man responsible for Morris' murder was convicted of the crime in 1986 and sentenced to prison for 99 years.

The case became the state's first murder conviction without a body as evidence.