70-Year-Old Charged, Not Tried, in 1987 Florida Homicide Case
Gary Edward Glowacz faces murder and burglary charges after allegedly confessing to a 1987 Jacksonville killing. The case is at the charging stage only and has not been resolved.
2 reports on this incident · first at Aug 15, 2026, 9:15 p.m. ET
This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.
Earlier reports
Aug 15, 2026, 9:15 p.m. ETFirst report
70-Year-Old Charged in 1987 Florida Cold Case Homicide
On August 15, 2026, authorities announced that 70-year-old Gary Edward Glowacz has been charged with second-degree murder and armed burglary with assault or battery in connection with a 1987 cold case, fox5ny.com reported. The investigation remains open and developing. Glowacz is charged and untried, and the legal matter remains undecided; charges are allegations and the accused is presumed innocent. Police allege that Glowacz burglarized the Jacksonville home of 20-year-old mother Melissa Ellison in 1987 while using narcotics, struck Ellison in the head with a wooden log, carried her 13-month-old child to a living room couch, and returned to search for money, fox5ny.com reported. According to police, Glowacz confessed to the crime after calling Clay County authorities in July 2026, during which he described crime-scene details that had never been publicly released.
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Revision history
- Version 116 Aug 2026, 01:23current
First published.
- Version 116 Aug 2026, 01:15current
First published.
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