A Florida man who contacted the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office with information about a 1987 homicide has been arrested and charged in connection with the cold case, authorities announced Thursday.
Gary Edward Glowacz, 70, was arrested Wednesday on charges of murder and burglary with battery. He had approached the sheriff's office claiming he wanted to provide details about the killing of 20-year-old Melissa Ellison.
Detectives interviewed Glowacz before securing an arrest warrant. He was booked into the Duval County Jail.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters stated that the arrest demonstrates that cold cases can still be solved, even decades later. "While his arrest cannot fill the enormous void left in the hearts of Melissa Ellison's loved ones, I hope that this arrest is another step in the healing process," Waters said.
Police first responded to Ellison's home on Colejean Road on Dec. 28, 1987, after hearing her toddler crying. Ellison was found deceased in her bed, having sustained injuries consistent with blunt force trauma, according to investigators. Her roommates had reportedly checked on her after discovering the child alone.
The sheriff's office credited First Coast Crime Stoppers, the State Attorney's Office, Project Cold Case, and the Clay County Sheriff's Office for their assistance in the investigation.