On April 1, 2026, the community of Coral Springs, Florida, was shaken by the tragic death of Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen, a 38-year-old Black woman of Haitian-American descent. Concerns for her welfare arose that Wednesday morning when she uncharacteristically missed scheduled meetings. City employees attempted to contact her, and a subsequent call to her husband, Stephen Bowen, raised suspicions, prompting a police response.
Officers were dispatched to her residence in the 800 block of NW 127th Avenue to conduct a wellness check.
Upon their arrival at approximately 10:04 AM, law enforcement discovered Ms. Metayer Bowen deceased inside her home. The preliminary investigation immediately pointed to a domestic incident. Her husband, Stephen Bowen, quickly became the primary suspect in what authorities have described as an apparent domestic violence shooting. He had fled the scene, but his car was identified by license plate readers in the nearby city of Plantation.
Later that day, Stephen Bowen was apprehended by the Broward County Sheriff's Office at a friend's apartment complex. He was taken into custody and has since been charged with premeditated murder and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. The news of Nancy Metayer Bowen's violent death sent ripples of shock and grief throughout South Florida, where she was regarded as a trailblazing public servant and a dedicated advocate for her community. She was remembered as a compassionate and unwavering leader who made history as the first Black and Haitian American woman elected to the Coral Springs Commission in 2020. Hundreds gathered to mourn her passing, celebrating a life of service and leadership that was cut short.
