OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
11:40 AM – Thursday, April 2, 2026
In a horrific incident being investigated as domestic violence, Nancy Metayer Bowen, the 38-year-old vice mayor of Coral Springs, Florida, was fatally shot in her home on Wednesday morning.
Authorities quickly moved to apprehend her husband, 40-year-old Stephen Bowen, identifying him as the sole suspect in the shooting.
During a press conference later that day, police confirmed Bowen was in custody and noted that preliminary evidence pointed to an “apparent domestic violence incident.”
According to police affidavits, Metayer Bowen had been shot multiple times with a shotgun. Investigators found her body wrapped in blankets and placed inside garbage bags in an upstairs bedroom. Law enforcement also utilized license plate readers to track his vehicle.
A judge denied bond for Stephen Bowen on Thursday, and he remains in custody at the Broward County Jail. He is being held on charges of premeditated murder and tampering with physical evidence.
Florida Politics reported that investigators believe the Democrat vice mayor was fatally shot before her husband fled approximately 12 miles south to Plantation, Florida. Authorities eventually located and arrested him at the Landmark Towers apartment complex.
“We are heartbroken to share that Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer has died,” the Coral Springs government Facebook page announced in a statement on Wednesday. “She was more than a public servant, she was a light in our community. Her leadership was grounded in compassion, strength, and an unwavering commitment to others. 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 who are grieving in your thoughts and prayers. In this difficult time, we stand together as one city.”
An environmental scientist by trade, Metayer Bowen, a first-generation Haitian-American, was also the first Black woman elected to the Coral Springs Commission in 2020. She previously had an internship with former President Barack Obama’s administration after graduating from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Additionally, in the lead up to the 2024 presidential election, former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris named Metayer Bowen to serve as Florida’s “Caribbean Vote Director.”
On Wednesday evening, Representative Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), the frontrunner in this year’s Florida gubernatorial election, announced that he was “heartbroken” to learn of the shocking news.
“Praying for her family, loved ones, and the Coral Springs community during this devastating time,” he wrote on X. “May justice be swift, and may her memory be a blessing.”
“On behalf of our entire family, we are deeply saddened to share the passing of my beloved sister Nancy Metayer-Bowen. She was not only a cherished member of our family, but also a dedicated public servant who committed her life to improving the lives of others. Throughout her years in public office, she led with integrity, compassion, and an unwavering sense of purpose. She believed in bringing people together, listening to those she served, and working tirelessly to create positive change in her community … As we mourn her loss, we also celebrate her remarkable life and the lasting impact she leaves behind. We ask for privacy as our family grieves, and we thank everyone for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. – The Metayer Family,” a post from the vice mayor’s official Facebook reads.
The investigation of the vice mayor’s death is ongoing.
According to the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) 2025 year-end update, approximately 60% of all female homicide victims in the U.S. are killed by a current or former intimate partner, which includes husbands, ex-husbands, and boyfriends. On the flip side, approximately 11% of male homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below
