The deputy mayor of a Florida city was found dead in her home on April 1, and authorities announced that her husband had been arrested and charged with murder.
Police said Nancy Metayer Bowen’s body was discovered at her Coral Springs home around 10 a.m. after a welfare check. Bowen’s husband, Stephen Bowen, 40, was arrested on suspicion of premeditated murder and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
Police have not released the circumstances of Nancy Metayer Bowen’s death, according to Florida lawmakers. Her death came months after her brother died by suicide and days before she announced her candidacy for Congress, a Florida lawmaker said.
Coral Springs Police Chief Brad Mock said at a news conference that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Nancy Metayer Bowen, 38, is the first black and Haitian-American woman to serve on the City Commission.
“Throughout her years in public service, she led with integrity, compassion and an unwavering sense of purpose,” her family said in a statement. “She believed in bringing people together, listening to those she served, and working tirelessly to create positive change in the community. To us, she was a source of strength, wisdom, and love, and someone who always put others before herself.”
Who is Coral Springs Deputy Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen?
Nancy Metayer Bowen, a Florida A&M University graduate, was first elected vice mayor in 2020 and is up for re-election in 2024.
Nancy Metayer Bowen also holds a master’s degree in health sciences from Johns Hopkins University. She is an environmental scientist and former member of the Broward County Soil and Water Conservation District and was appointed to the Florida League of Cities’ 2025-26 Federal Action Strike Team.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) posted on social media that Nancy Metayer Bowen is “about to announce” her candidacy for Congress.
“Nancy was one of the nicest people I’ve ever worked with,” Moskowitz wrote. “She was always fighting for her community, always asking for support. She had a future like that. This is terrible.”
Moskowitz also mentioned Nancy Metayer Bowen’s brother, who passed away in December 2025. Donovan Joshua Lee Metayer passed away at the age of 26 after a long battle with his mental health. He was a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, when a mass shooting at the school in 2018 killed 17 people.
In a Facebook post on the Coral Springs Government Page, Nancy Metayer Bowen was remembered not only as a public servant but also as a “light in our community.”
“Her leadership was based on compassion, strength and unwavering dedication to others,” the post said. “Her impact on Coral Springs is immeasurable, and her loss leaves a void in our hearts. We ask our community to keep her family, loved ones, and all those who are grieving in your thoughts and prayers. During this difficult time, we come together as one city. Even in this darkness, we will carry her light.”
