In September 1984, 20-year-old mother Rowena Wilkinson Zapalac was found dead in her apartment in Flatonia, Texas. Within hours, authorities ruled her death an accident — and closed the case the very same day.

But the evidence told a different story.

In this episode of Unsolved Cases by Skoob, we uncover the troubling details police ignored: signs of a violent struggle, missing evidence, contradictory autopsy findings, and biological material that suggested someone else was in the room. As Rowena’s sister Joleta Wilkinson fights for answers decades later, this case raises disturbing questions about small-town power, investigative failure, and whether justice was deliberately avoided.

We also explore a chilling possible connection to convicted serial killer Robert Charles Browne, who later claimed a murder in Flatonia during the same time period.

Was Rowena’s death staged?Who benefited from closing the case so quickly?And can modern forensics still uncover the truth?

Before we dive in, don’t forget — you can access all Skoob shows, bonus content, and exclusive deep-dive episodes on the Skoob App and through https://linktr.ee/skoob.ai.

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