AUSTIN — The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office announced today that it had made an arrest in a three-decade-old cold case in which a 73-year-old woman was found on her floor in her bedroom, beaten, tied, sexually assaulted and strangled to death.

Mildred H. McKinney was found dead on Nov. 4, 1980.

On Monday, more than 31 years after the McKinney’s body was first found, sheriff’s officials arrested 53-year old Steven Alan Thomas in connection with the cold case homicide.

The crime happened at 12701 A Sherbourne, just east of the intersection of Research Boulevard and Anderson Mill Road in the Forest North neighborhood.

Well known serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas, confessed to killing McKinney in the 1980s, but DNA evidence later proved he was not the killer.

On June 27, 2012 the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office received word that a DNA match was made and 53-year old Steven Alan Thomas, formerly of Garland, was named a suspect.

Sheriff’s officials met with personnel from the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab to review their findings in this case. It was determined through examination and forensic testing that the additional DNA collected from Steven Alan Thomas on July 5, 2012 matched the DNA found at the murder of McKinney. Further analysis determined that a latent fingerprint from the scene of the murder also belonged to Thomas.

Detectives met with Thomas on two separate occasions both in Dallas and in Austin. Thomas said that he did not know McKinney. Thomas stated that he never had sexual intercourse with her and didn’t recognize her home. He also denied sexually assaulting and murdering her.

Thomas was arrested Monday by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and members from the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force at 11:30 a.m. at 9518 Topridge No. 7 in Austin, Texas.

Several agencies throughout the years have assisted in this case, and officials with the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office said they would like to thank most recently the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Probation and Pretrial Release, Garland Police Department, The Texas Rangers, and specifically the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab.

Sheriff James Wilson said he is thankful to bring this part of the case to a close for the family and memory of Mildred McKinney.

Sheriff’s officials said they will not be making any further comments on the case, because it is still an active investigation, and further statements will have to come from the Williamson County District Attorney’s Office.

Anyone with information about the case or about Thomas is encouraged to contact the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office at 512-943-1300.

McKinney’s grandson, Bob Stapleton said the family was grateful for the unexpected news, adding that the family is also hopeful, and because of the efforts of the sheriff’s office, they may soon have closure for their grandmother’s story.