On February 19, 1971, the badly decomposed body of an unidentified white female was discovered floating in Shady Brook Creek at Lake Panasoffkee under the Interstate 75 overpass in Sumter County, Florida. The victim was found with a size 36 men’s leather belt wrapped around her neck. She appeared to be wrapped in carpet, and wearing plaid green pants, a matching green shirt, and a shawl with green and yellow print, along with a Baylor wristwatch, a yellow gold ring with clear stone on her left ring finger, and a small, thin yellow gold necklace. Investigators believed that she had been dumped off the overpass approximately one month earlier.
During the initial investigation, the victim was determined to be a white female, approximately 5’ 2” to 5’ 5” inches tall and weighing between 110 and 120 pounds with dark hair and brown eyes. Forensic examination of the remains determined that she was between the ages of 17 and 24 when she was killed, she had given birth to at least two children, she had previous dental work, to include a crown on her front tooth, and had undergone the Watson-Jones procedure on her right ankle.
During the course of the investigation, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office consulted with numerous agencies and laboratories—both public and private—to assist in identifying the victim through forensic analysis. However, the state of her remains were problematic in providing a viable profile. Multiple persons of interest were interviewed, and numerous missing person cases were compared and ultimately ruled out.
For nearly 55 years, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office has continuously worked to generate and follow up on leads to identify the victim and her killer. The Sheriff’s Office has made multiple attempts to engage the public’s help by distributing fliers with the victim’s reconstructed image to law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and seeking help through social media platforms. Her case has received national media coverage and was also featured on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries in 1992.
In October of 2025, Little Miss Lake Panasoffkee was finally identified through advanced latent print analysis as Maureen L. Minor Rowan, known by friends and family as “Cookie” (DOB: 3/21/49). The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office has identified a person of interest in this case, her estranged husband, Charles Emery Rowan, Sr., better known as “Emery” (DOB: 12/8/41; deceased 2015), but is seeking the public’s help in providing additional information to bring justice to Cookie and her family.
The family released the following statement: “For nearly 55 years, our family lived without answers about what happened to my mother. We now know that she was ‘Little Miss Lake Panasoffkee.’ But she was more. She was a mother, a daughter, a sister, and a woman who deserved a full life. We are deeply grateful to the Sumter County detectives and the local community who never gave up on her. Now that she has been identified, our family can begin to heal. We ask anyone who has any information on who killed our mother to please come forward.”
Sumter County Sheriff Pat Breeden issued this statement regarding the investigation: “Today, Little Miss Lake Panasoffkee finally has a name. We now know the identity of the woman who until today was a mystery that has stayed with our community for decades. Her name is Maureen Minor Rowan, more commonly known by her friends and family as Cookie. This is a deeply meaningful moment for our agency and our community, but more importantly to the family that has waited almost 55 years for answers.
“This breakthrough exemplifies the dedication of every investigator who has worked on this case over the past five decades and reflects the unwavering commitment of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office to seek the truth and deliver closure to families. Although we still have a lot of work to do to bring justice to Cookie and her family, I am incredibly proud of the men and women of my office who continue to diligently work our cold cases and persevere despite the challenges that some of them present.
“To Cookie’s family, our thoughts and prayers are with you. We know your hearts are heavy with grief. Cookie was your mother, she was your sister, and your friend. She has never been forgotten and has had a profound impact on our community.
“This case stands as a powerful reminder of why we never give up. Although our investigation continues, we are one step closer to providing answers and resolution to this case once and for all. As the Sheriff of Sumter County, I am asking the community for their help. We have set up a dedicated tip line so that anyone with knowledge of the case can speak with a detective 24/7. The tip line phone number is (352) 569-1915 or you can send tips to our email address, sumtertips@sumtercountysheriff.org. As always, you can also report tips anonymously through Crimeline by calling 1-(800)-423-TIPS (8477). If you know something, say something, and help us bring justice to Cookie and her family.”