A man was arrested and charged in a double-murder cold case out of Montgomery County this week, thanks to DNA evidence.

According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation began on September 28, 1984, when the badly decomposed bodies of John Robert Buckels, 38, and Janis Petkas McMahan, 37, were found along Old Highway 105 near Cleveland.

Detectives said both victims were shot to death.

Investigators collected evidence, conducted interviews, followed numerous leads and even developed suspect information, but they were unable to solve the case.

Blood evidence collected in the investigation was stored at the Houston Crime Lab for nearly 25 years until cold-case detectives re-opened the investigation in July of 2009.

DNA testing was applied to the evidence, thanks to grant funds made available through the National Institute of Justice, and analysis linked the evidence to a suspect that had been identified back in 1984.

Detectives tracked down witnesses in Texas and Florida, and on June 2, they arrested Seldon Wayne Colvin, 58.

Colvin is facing murder and capital murder charges in Montgomery County.