MIAMI — Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen was found dead in her home Wednesday morning. Her husband was arrested in connection to her death, police say.

Around 10 a.m., Coral Springs police officers went to her home to check on her “well-being,” Chief Brad Mock said.

Authorities found her body inside her home, in the 800 block of Northwest 127 Ave. Sometime later her husband, Stephen Bowen, was arrested.

It’s unclear where he is being detained or what charges he is facing.

Mock said the incident is being investigated as a domestic violence case and there are no other suspects or threats to the community.

Coral Springs Commissioner Joshua Simmons and City Manager Catherine Givens shared condolences for their slain colleague at a Wednesday evening press conference.

“Nancy was our battle buddy. She had a good heart,” Simmons said. “She truly cared about people even when people were saying some of the most horrible things about her and us. She still cared, rolled up her sleeves went to every event that she could go too....”

Metayer Bowen, 38, was the city’s first Black and Haitian-American woman elected commissioner, the city’s website said. She was elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2024, during which she was appointed a second term as vice mayor.

She’s received several awards connected to her political and environmental science careers, including the Top 20 under 40 by the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce, the United Nations Clean Water Advocacy Award, and induction into the CLEO Institute.

“To say today is a dark day for us in Coral Springs is an understatement,” Givens said. “There are no words that can truly capture the depth of this loss or the pain this organization and community are dealing with as a result of this senseless tragedy.”

Run for Congress

Metayer Bowen was in the midst of planning large changes for her political future when she was found dead, sources told the Miami Herald.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz said on social media Metayer Bowen was expected to launch a congressional run soon, sources confirming the announcement was scheduled for Thursday.

She was going to run in the Democratic primary for the seat held by Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who is facing federal charges related to alleged theft of disaster relief funds.

“Nancy was one of the nicest people I worked with,” Moskowitz, a Broward Democrat now serving in Congress, said in his post. “Always fighting for her community, always pushing to help. She had such a future. This is terrible.”

Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried joined in offering condolences for Metayer Bowen, as she served as the vice chair of Haitian Outreach for the party. Fried noted they’d spoken just two weeks ago at a party summit.

“I held her in a hug at our Party’s Leadership Summit, never imagining it would be one of our last moments together,” Fried said. “She loved her community deeply and believed, with every fiber of her being, that a better and more equitable future was possible for all of us.”

Outpouring of support

Politicians throughout South Florida have quickly, in the hours following the announcement of Metayer Bowen’s death, shared condolences and prayers for her family.

North Miami Mayor Alix Desulme served with Metayer Bowen on the board of Local Governments for Sustainability and touched on how much life she brought wherever she went.

“Though we served in different municipalities...I can tell you firsthand what those who worked with her already know: she brought an energy and a moral clarity to every room she entered,” said Desulme in a statement.

Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a statement she was heartbroken by Metayer Bowen’s death. “She cared deeply about our environment and about equity, and used her voice without hesitation,” Levine Cava said. “As Vice Mayor, she never lost sight of the people she was fighting for.”

Tamarac Vice Mayor Marlon Bolton remembered Metayer Bowen a “valued friend” and a “a partner in public service.”

“Nancy led with grace, strength, and an unwavering commitment to her community,” he said. “Her impact extended far beyond Coral Springs — she was a respected colleague and a shining example of what it means to serve.”

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