Authorities believe the slaying of an 82-year-old woman nearly 20 years ago was the work of a man now on Texas' death row for another slaying.

Margaret McGinnis was found sexually assaulted and strangled in her west Houston home in 1988. Authorities say DNA connects Travis D. Green, 38, to the crime.

Green was sentenced to death in the 1999 rape and murder of 19-year-old Kristin Loesch.

Because of this circumstance, authorities said no additional charges will be filed against him at this time.

An execution date for Green has not yet been set.

Police believe that on the morning of July 13, 1988, an attacker entered McGinnis' home in the 1800 block of Crocker through the bedroom window and barricaded the door from the inside. Police found McGinnis' body on the floor of her bedroom.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

At the time, authorities said there were neither witnesses nor leads in the case.

Last August, when investigators from the Houston police homicide division's cold-case squad opened a review, evidence from McGinnis' autopsy was located and sent to a lab for analysis, authorities said.

About two months later, authorities said, a male pattern DNA profile was found and was entered into the Combined DNA Index System.

A match was identified as Green on Feb. 5.

anita.hassan@chron.com