New ‘20/20,’ When Mother of Two Is Found Dead in Luxury Manhattan Apartment, Is It a Slip and Fall or Something More Sinister?

When Shele Covlin — a 47-year-old mother of two and successful banker — is found dead in her bathtub in her luxury apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, it seems at first like a tragic accident. But family members quickly grow suspicious of her estranged husband, Rod Covlin, especially after authorities exhume her body and come to a shocking conclusion: Shele was strangled. In a new “20/20,” ABC News senior national affairs correspondent and “20/20” contributing anchor Deborah Roberts reports on the secrets uncovered during the years-long investigation, ranging from allegations of domestic abuse to the revelation that Shele had decided to cut Rod out of her multimillion-dollar will just a day before authorities found her dead, that eventually put Rod behind bars.

 

The two-hour program features interviews with key family members of the estranged couple; Rod’s ex-girlfriend, who gave evidence that helped authorities crack the case; the attorney who provided legal counsel for Shele in her divorce and custody battle; the NYPD detectives who worked on the case; and more. “20/20” airs Friday, Jan. 27 (9:01-11:00 p.m. EST), on ABC, next day on Hulu.  

 

ABC News’ “20/20” is an award-winning primetime program anchored by David Muir and Amy Robach. A proven leader as a long-form newsmagazine for over 40 years, “20/20” features unforgettable, character-driven true-crime mysteries, exclusive newsmaker interviews, hard-hitting investigative reports and in-depth coverage of high-profile stories. Janice Johnston is the executive producer. The two-hour “20/20” events air Fridays from 9:01-11:00 p.m. EST on ABC and are available to stream on ABC News digital platforms and Hulu.

 

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ABC News Media Relations
Sarah Jautz
sarah.jautz@abc.com

 

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