Nancy Metayer Bowen, the vice mayor of Coral Springs, Florida, was shot and killed in her home. Her husband, Stephen Bowen, is a suspect, Florida Politics reports.
The city leader died after an apparent domestic violence incident on April 1. Bowen was apprehended after attempting to flee.
Police became involved after a friend of Metayer Bowen couldn’t reach her. After reaching Stephen Bowen, who “sounded suspicious,” the friend decided to call the police. Coral Springs Police Chief Brad Mock said officers followed up with a wellness check around 10 a.m. After Metayer Bowen was found dead, authorities put a call out for Bowen.
According to NBC Miami, Bowen, 40, was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, athletic shorts and sneakers during his arrest. He was booked on charges of premeditated murder and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
Once the news hit social media, an outpouring of condolences poured in, along with comments and videos about the work of Metayer Bowen, a Haitian-American with an impressive resume.
“Heartbroken to learn of the tragic loss of Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen. Praying for her family, loved ones, and the Coral Springs community during this devastating time,” Florida Rep. Byron Donalds wrote on X.
“May justice be swift, and may her memory be a blessing.”
Principal Rosheika Y. H. Rolle of Broward County Public Schools posted a video of Metayer Bowen having some fun on a school playground while supporting students. “My heartfelt condolences to our Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen’s family. A wonderful leader who always supported the @HuntElementary community—your impact will never be forgotten,” she wrote.
“Two years with the amazing Stephen Bowen,” she wrote on Instagram about her husband in 2024. “Cheers to love, growth, and building a beautiful life together.”
She worked diligently in the public sector, particularly on the rights of Haitian Americans, and worked on Haiti relief for roughly two years before taking a job with the Broward County government as a program manager with the county’s Junior Sustainability Stewards Program. When Vice President JD Vance started to spread lies about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Ohio, she was one of the first elected officials to publicly criticize him.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried reflected on speaking to the young politician “just days ago” and having a moment at the party’s Leadership Summit, “never imagining it would be one of our last moments together.”
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