Florida Man Charged in 1987 Murder of His Mother

A man from Florida has been charged in the murder of his mother from 1987. Gary Edward Glowacz, now 70, allegedly confessed to the crime after reaching out to law enforcement. Authorities have stated that he provided specific details about the crime scene that weren’t previously known.

The court documentation reveals that Glowacz is facing charges of second-degree murder and armed robbery involving assault or battery following the death of Melissa Ellison, who was just 20 years old at the time. Her body was discovered in her Jacksonville home on December 28, 1987. Reports indicated that Ellison was found on her bed after her roommate noticed her 13-month-old baby crying on the couch.

The investigation into her death noted that Ellison had suffered blunt force trauma to her head and neck. The arrest report cited that there was blood on the sheets, with her head found under a pillow and her nightgown raised. Detectives discovered soot or ash on the bed, which they connected to the logs reportedly used to inflict the injuries.

The case had remained a mystery for many years. On July 8, 2026, Glowacz called authorities in Clay County, expressing a desire to “make things right” concerning Ellison’s death. During the call, he claimed he had committed a robbery at her home and struck her with a log.

In a later interview with detectives specializing in cold cases, Glowacz mentioned that he was under the influence of drugs at the time. He said he broke into her place looking for something to steal. He described seeing Ellison and her baby in the bedroom, leaving momentarily to grab a log before returning to strike her. Glowacz also recounted how he then moved the baby into the living room and placed him on the couch.

As he searched for money under the mattress, he reportedly disturbed Ellison’s body. Evidence gathered from the scene in 1987 corroborated his account. Glowacz’s precise recollections about the home layout and the position of the logs were consistent with the details collected by investigators at the time of the murder — details that had never been shared publicly.

Law enforcement records revealed that Glowacz lived approximately half a mile from the crime scene back in 1987 and had an unrelated robbery arrest on the very day Ellison was discovered dead.

He explained to detectives that he realized Ellison had died after reading an article about the cold case in March 2026. Interestingly, Glowacz mentioned that he waited until after the holidays to come forward to police, wanting to spend some time with his family first. Following the interrogation, authorities arrested him.

Prosecutors later filed formal charges against him, detailing that he had struck and killed Ellison while committing robbery and had entered her residence armed. Efforts to reach Glowacz’s public defender for further comments have been made.