JACKSONVILLE — A 70-year-old man was arrested this month after he contacted law enforcement and said he wanted to explain his role in a decades-old homicide, according to court records and investigators handling the cold case.
Authorities charged Gary Edward Glowacz with second-degree murder and armed burglary with assault or battery in the death of Melissa Ellison, who was found dead inside her Jacksonville home on Dec. 28, 1987, records show.
How the case came back to investigators
The case, unsolved for nearly four decades, took a new turn on July 8, 2026, when Glowacz reportedly called authorities in Clay County and told them he wanted to "set things straight" about the incident. He later gave detectives details they say had not been released previously, prompting an arrest.
"[He] said he had committed a burglary at the home and had struck Ellison with a log," court documents say.
Jacksonville cold-case detectives interviewed Glowacz after his initial contact. Investigators say he admitted entering Ellison’s residence while using drugs, searching for money or items to sell, encountering Ellison and her infant, and then returning with a wooden log.
Crime scene details and alleged confession
According to the arrest report, Ellison, then 20, was discovered in her bed by roommates on Dec. 28, 1987. Her 13-month-old child was found crying on a living-room couch. The report states Ellison had suffered blunt-force trauma to the head and neck, blood was present on the sheets and soot or ash on the bed suggested a wooden log had been used as the weapon.
Glowacz allegedly described striking Ellison once in the head with the log, then taking the child into the living room. Investigators say elements of his account matched physical evidence and details that had not been made public.
Charges and next steps
Glowacz faces felony charges, including second-degree murder and an armed burglary count with assault or battery. Authorities have not released whether prosecutors will seek additional counts or whether they intend to pursue enhanced penalties given the circumstances described in the report.
Legal filings list Glowacz’s age as 70. Court records and law-enforcement statements do not indicate where he was living at the time of his arrest or whether he has a criminal history tied to the case.
- Victim: Melissa Ellison, 20 (found Dec. 28, 1987)
- Suspect: Gary Edward Glowacz, 70
- Charges: Second-degree murder; armed burglary with assault or battery
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date of death | Dec. 28, 1987 |
| Date of suspect contact | July 8, 2026 |
| Victim's child | 13-month-old at time of discovery |
Context and impact
Cold-case investigations often hinge on new leads, advances in forensic science or, as in this case, voluntary contact by a person of interest. Authorities said the suspect’s account included specific facts about the scene and the manner of death that were not part of the public record, a detail that can strengthen an investigatory and prosecutorial case.
For the victim’s family and the Jacksonville community, the development may offer a measure of answers after nearly 40 years. Prosecutors and detectives will need to corroborate Glowacz’s statements with physical evidence and other investigative work before a case is presented for trial.
Officials have not released statements from the victim’s relatives, nor have they disclosed whether there are outstanding investigative leads that could implicate additional suspects. Court schedules have not been posted publicly with the next hearing dates as of this writing.
Authorities in Jacksonville and Clay County handled different stages of the post-contact investigation. The transfer of evidence and coordination between local agencies is standard in cold-case work when a tip originates outside the jurisdiction where the crime occurred.
As the case progresses through the legal system, prosecutors must balance historical evidence limitations with the new statements reportedly provided by Glowacz. Defense and prosecution will both have access to investigation files, and the defendant is entitled to counsel and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in court.
Officials did not immediately respond to a request for further comment. The investigation remains active.
