Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen was found dead at her home after police said she was killed in a domestic violence incident, with her husband Stephen Bowen taken into custody. Officers discovered her body around 10 a.m. after conducting a welfare check at her residence in the 800 block of Northwest 127th Avenue. Police Chief Brad Mock said the investigation is ongoing and there are no other suspects or threats to the public.
“She led on an environmental sustainability here in the city,” said Commissioner Joshua Simmons during a news conference. “She led the push to get a sustainable officer, sustainable department here. Joined international organizations dedicated to environmental sustainability. She was leading the charge on the solid waste authority or trying to get the solid waste authority started here in Broward County.” Simmons described Metayer Bowen as his and other commissioners’ “battle buddy,” saying the city government is now “incomplete.”
“My soul is broken,” Simmons said of losing his colleague. Video from the scene showed several police vehicles, including a mobile command center, and crime scene tape at Metayer Bowen’s home. In Plantation, cellphone video captured law enforcement swarming an apartment complex where sources said they apprehended Stephen Bowen.
“We just heard a big bang and I said, ‘Oh my God, is that gunshots?’” a witness told Local 10 News. “We looked out the window and we see SWAT cars, cop cars, just everything everywhere – guns drawn.” The dramatic arrest scene unfolded as investigators worked to piece together the circumstances surrounding the vice mayor’s death.
Metayer Bowen, elected to the city commission in 2020, was described in her official city biography as the first Black and Haitian American woman to serve as a Coral Springs commissioner. She was an environmental scientist by trade and held degrees from Florida A&M and Johns Hopkins universities. Her groundbreaking role in local government made her a prominent figure in both the environmental and Haitian American communities.
“Every time you talked with Nancy, it’s all about how can I help the next person,” said Tamarac Vice Mayor Marlon Bolton. “Nobody will be able to walk in her shoes.” Bolton, who knew Metayer Bowen from her previous work as a former employee in the city of Tamarac, emphasized her advocacy for the Haitian community. “The state has lost a voice, an advocate, a person who knows that work does not stop at a title,” Bolton said.
Metayer Bowen’s family posted a statement on her Instagram following news of her death. “While many knew her as a leader and advocate, we knew her as a sister, a daughter, and a friend whose warmth and laughter filled every room,” the statement said in part. “Her legacy will live on not only in the policies she helped shape, but in the countless lives she touched.” The family’s tribute highlighted both her public service and personal relationships.
Condolences poured in from across the state as news of the tragedy spread throughout Florida’s political community. Bolton noted that Metayer Bowen wasn’t just a leader but also his friend, emphasizing the personal loss felt by those who worked closely with her. Her death represents a significant loss for environmental advocacy and Haitian American representation in South Florida politics.
The city of Tamarac plans to honor the vice mayor at its next commission meeting, recognizing her contributions to public service and community advocacy. Police Chief Mock said the investigation into the domestic violence incident continues, though he did not provide details about how Metayer Bowen died. The case highlights the ongoing issue of domestic violence affecting women in positions of public leadership.