Slain Florida Vice Mayor Was Sister Of Parkland Shooting Survivor Who Died By Suicide In December

Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer died in December, according to theGrio.

Nancy Metayer Bowen, the Coral Springs, Florida, vice-mayor recently found dead in her home by police on April 1, was the sister of Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer, the Parkland school shooting survivor who died by suicide in December, theGrio reports.

Metayer Bowen’s husband, Stephen Bowen, was charged with murder after authorities found him in Plantation, Florida.

Local 10 News also obtained a police report detailing how Bowen told his mother he had experienced a panic attack the day before allegedly killing his wife. Bowen told his uncle that he “did something” to Metayer Bowen and that she was no longer alive. He disclosed that he shot his wife three times before sleeping in the downstairs area of their home. The police are currently investigating her death as a domestic violence incident.

Prior to her death, Metayer Bowen organized a GoFundMe to help her family as they grappled with her brother’s suicide. Since surviving the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School school shooting in February 2018, Metayer dealt with a years-long battle with schizophrenia and other mental health struggles.

The family released a statement on the slain vice-mayor, whose death has shaken the Coral Springs community.

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“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,” Metayer Bowen’s family posted to her social media. “Her legacy will live on not only in the policies she helped shape, but in the countless lives she touched.”

Metayer Bowen was a beloved figure in Coral Springs, becoming the first Haitian American and the first Black woman to serve on the city commission. Before her death, she reportedly eyed a run for Congress.

The statement continued, “We are grateful for the outpouring of support and kindness during this difficult time. As we mourn her loss, we also celebrate her remarkable life and the lasting impact she leaves behind.”

The city of Coral Springs has launched a page on the investigation into her death. As for the sole suspect, Bowen remains in custody at Broward Main Jail.