- Local
- Community
- Journalism
Support the independent voice of Houston and help keep the future of Houston Press free.
On March 26, 1980, Glen Clary reportedly took up a game of pool with a guy named Wilmer Joe Nichols at an east Harris County bar called the Maverick Club. Nichols had been flashing a wad of money. The two men allegedly left the club together, and Nichols' body was found later, a gunshot wound to the head.Photo courtesy HCSO
The case languished until October 2009, when Clary was arrested and charged with Nichols's murder. It was the result of an investigation began in March by the Harris County Sheriff's Office cold-case squad, a two-person crew tasked with taking on more than 500 cases stretching back to the early 1970s.
Clary was living in Louisiana when he was arrested, and although he initially posted bond and fought extradition, he ultimately surrendered to Harris County authorities December 14.
The strange thing is, according to the original notes, no one seems to have ever questioned Clary, Sgt. Eric Clegg tells Hair Balls.
"I cannot speculate" on why Clary was never questioned, Clegg says. "Some of these cases, you read them, and you wonder -- kind of scratch your head sometimes."
Better late than never, though, especially for Nichols' sister, who lives in Houston, and his son, in Washington state.
Clary has a history of arrests (including assault, burglary, theft, and resisting arrest) in Texas, Louisiana, Florida and Georgia, dating back to the 1960s, Clegg says.
The cold-case squad was established a while ago but had been defunct for a few years, due to lack of manpower, Clegg says. Incoming Sheriff Adrian Garcia made it a priority to reform, and the two-person squad was brought back to life in March.
"We review the cases, and some cases just have a ton of potential," Clegg says. "Others, it's just not there....We kind of look at the solvability of the case."
It will take some time before this one can be officially solved, but right now it's looking pretty good. (Or bad, if you're Clary).
Keep the Houston Press Free... Since we started the Houston Press, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Houston, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Houston with no paywalls.