Home / Crime and Justice / 38-Year Cold Case Cracked: Burglary Confession Solves Murder
38-Year Cold Case Cracked: Burglary Confession Solves Murder
11 Aug
Summary
- A 70-year-old man confessed to a 1987 murder during a burglary.
- The victim's infant daughter was 13 months old at the time of the killing.
- The confession came after the suspect saw an article about the unsolved case.
A cold case dating back to December 28, 1987, has been solved following a confession nearly 38 years later. Melissa "Missy" Taylor Ellison, 20, was found dead in her Jacksonville, Florida, bedroom, with her 13-month-old daughter, Casie, discovered unharmed in the living room. The medical examiner ruled her death a homicide due to blunt force trauma.
Gary Glowacz, 70, of Middleburg, Florida, contacted the Clay County Sheriff's Office in July 2026, stating he wanted to "set things straight." He confessed to breaking into Ellison's home through a window in search of money to buy drugs. He admitted to striking Ellison with a log in her bedroom, then placing her daughter on the couch before searching for valuables.
Glowacz's confession came earlier in 2026 when he encountered an article about Melissa Ellison's unsolved case and realized his culpability. He has been charged with second-degree murder and armed burglary with assault or battery and is being held without bond in the Duval County Jail. The investigation in 1987 did not lead to an arrest.
For years, Melissa's family, including her sister Casie Ellison, endured the pain of the unsolved mystery. Casie, who was the infant daughter found at the scene, expressed that the arrest brought a sense of closure she had long hoped for, though the family continues to seek full justice. The January 2026 news conference and renewed efforts by Project: Cold Case and First Coast Crime Stoppers were credited with aiding the investigation that ultimately led to Glowacz's arrest.
