Florida man charged in 1987 cold case murder confession

Gary Edward Glowacz, 70, has been charged with second-degree murder and armed burglary in connection with the 1987 killing of Melissa Ellison in Jacksonville, Florida. The case, which remained unsolved for nearly four decades, progressed after Glowacz contacted authorities in Clay County on July 8, 2026, stating he wanted to ‘set things straight’ regarding Ellison’s death.

According to arrest reports, Ellison was found dead in her home on December 28, 1987, after her roommates discovered her 13-month-old child alone in the living room. Investigators determined Ellison had suffered blunt-force trauma to the head and neck. Glowacz allegedly admitted to detectives that he entered the residence while using narcotics to look for property to sell, eventually striking Ellison with a wooden log.

During his confession, Glowacz reportedly provided specific crime-scene details that had never been made public, including the positioning of the victim and the presence of soot or ash on the bed consistent with the use of a wooden log.