Possibly an initial phase of a structural failure simply allowed the tail section to flex in response to pitch inputs which would quickly make pitch control problematic both for the computers and the crew.
Attitude excursions would add to the forces flexing the remainder of structure between the fuselage and tail until it came off at which time power and data would likely be lost to the CVR and FDR.
CVR noises just before breakup should allow investigators to distinguish between structural failure and explosion.
It will take time.