Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen was found dead at her home after police conducted a wellness check, officials confirmed on Thursday. Her death is being investigated as a domestic violence incident, and her husband, Stephen Bowen, 40, has been charged with premeditated murder and tampering with physical evidence, according to Chief Brad Mock.
Stephen Bowen is being held at Broward County's main jail, and no other suspects are being sought, Mock said at a news conference. An attorney for Bowen could not be identified, and messages left for him and his relatives were not immediately returned.
Metayer Bowen, 40, was the first Black and Haitian American female commissioner in Coral Springs. Elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2024, she was appointed to a second one-year term as vice mayor in November. She worked as an environmental scientist and led environmental justice efforts across Florida, focusing on community resilience.
She also served as vice chair of the Florida Democratic Party. Party Chair Nikki Fried expressed shock, recalling a recent meeting: 'I hugged Nancy at a leadership summit two weeks ago, never imagining it would be one of our last moments together.' Fried added, 'She loved her community deeply... The world is less bright without her in it.'
Coral Springs City Manager Catherine Givens paid tribute: '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. Our hearts are truly broken.'
