CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Authorities in South Florida are treating the death of a city vice mayor as a domestic violence case, with her spouse now facing murder charges.
Nancy Metayer Bowen, who served as Vice Mayor of Coral Springs, was discovered deceased at her residence Wednesday morning when police officers conducted a welfare check, according to Chief Brad Mock during a press briefing. Her spouse, 40-year-old Stephen Bowen, has been taken into custody, and investigators are not seeking any other suspects, Mock stated.
Jail records from Broward County show Stephen Bowen faces charges of premeditated murder along with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. He remains detained at the county’s primary detention facility. Court documents do not indicate legal representation for the accused, and attempts by The Associated Press to reach Stephen Bowen or family members were unsuccessful, with one call being disconnected.
According to her official city biography, Metayer Bowen made history as Coral Springs’ first Black and Haitian American woman to serve as commissioner when voters chose her in 2020. She secured reelection in 2024 and received appointment to her second one-year vice mayoral term this past November. Her professional background included work as an environmental scientist, and prior to her commission service, she spearheaded environmental justice initiatives throughout Florida with emphasis on community resilience.
Metayer Bowen held the position of vice chair within the Florida Democratic Party. Party Chair Nikki Fried issued a statement recalling an embrace with Metayer Bowen at a leadership gathering two weeks prior, “never imagining it would be one of our last moments together.”
“She loved her community deeply and believed, with every fiber of her being, that a better and more equitable future was possible for all of us,” Fried said. “Above all, Nancy was my friend and a friend to everyone who has ever believed that democracy was worth fighting for. The world is less bright without her in it.”
City Manager Catherine Givens spoke at Wednesday’s press conference about Metayer Bowen’s dedication to Coral Springs, located approximately 20 miles northwest of Fort Lauderdale.
“She wasn’t just a leader. She was the light in every room that she entered. She was a steady voice in difficult times, a compassionate soul who lifted others up and a friend to so many,” Givens said. “Our hearts are truly broken.”
