💛 A quick favor, if you've got a second.
We're really happy that you chose to read one of our stories and sincerely hope you'll stick around to read more. We took our paywall down — for now — but that won't last forever, and when the gate goes back up, we'd love for you to already be on the inside.
It's free. So please enter your email here and don't forget to like and follow us on all of your favorite Social Media platforms!
Authorities in Jacksonville have charged Gary Edward Glowacz, 70, with second-degree murder and armed burglary with assault or battery in connection with the December 28, 1987 death of Melissa Ellison, a 20-year-old mother. The victim was discovered in her home after her roommates heard her 13-month-old child crying in the living room.
Glowacz initiated contact with Clay County authorities on July 8, 2026, stating he wanted to “set things straight” regarding Ellison’s death. During questioning, he allegedly told a deputy that he had committed a burglary at the residence and had struck the victim with a log.
During subsequent interviews with Jacksonville cold case detectives, Glowacz provided a detailed account of the crime that investigators say matched evidence from 1987. He described entering the home while searching for money or items to sell, locating Ellison and her baby in a bedroom, retrieving a wooden log from inside the residence, and returning to strike Ellison once in the head.
According to police reports, Glowacz accurately described the house layout, where the log was located, and his actions after the assault, including moving the child to a living room couch and searching underneath a mattress for money. Detectives confirmed these details had never been disclosed publicly and were absent from any news coverage Glowacz said he had read.
Law enforcement records indicate Glowacz lived approximately half a mile from the crime scene in 1987 and was arrested for an unrelated burglary in the area on the same day Ellison was found dead. He told investigators he saw a news article about the cold case in March 2026 and delayed contacting police until after the holiday season to spend time with family.
The medical examiner determined Ellison suffered blunt-force trauma to the head and neck. Evidence at the scene included blood on bedding, positioning of her head beneath a pillow, a nightgown pulled at the waistline, and soot or ash consistent with a wooden log being used as a weapon.
More Stories
One Dead, Four Wounded in Mass Shooting at Kentucky Park Concert
Legal Scholar Examines Alienation of Affection Tort as Sinema Fights Marriage Lawsuit
One Dead, Another Injured in Brooklyn Shooting Following Confrontation