Nancy Metayer-Bowen, the vice mayor of Coral Springs, Florida, was found dead inside her home on Wednesday after police responded to a call around 10 a.m. When police arrived, they said they found the vice mayor dead and they determined the incident was domestic in nature. Her husband Stephen Bowen was taken into custody and charged with premeditated murder and tampering with evidence. Reports say that Nancy was shot dead and the incident has shaken the Metayer family to the core as it has been only three months since they lost their son. Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer, Nancy Metayer’s younger brother, died by suicide on December 15. Joshua was suffering from schizophrenia for the last seven years. He survived the deadly 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.“On behalf of our entire family, we are deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved sister Nancy Metayer-Bowen,” the family said in a statement on its Instagram page. “She was not only a beloved member of our family, but also a dedicated public servant who dedicated her life to improving the lives of others.”The statement said, “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. Her legacy will live on not only in the policies she helped shape, but also in the countless lives she touched. We are grateful for the support and kindness during this difficult time. As we mourn her loss, we remember her remarkable life and the lives she lived by “Let’s also celebrate the lasting impact left.” Metayer, 38, became the first Black woman elected to the Coral Springs Commission in 2020. He served as Florida’s Caribbean Vote director during the 2024 presidential election. Rep. Jared Moskowitz posted on Twitter: “I’m in shock. I was with her on Saturday. She had just buried her brother. She was about to announce she was running for Congress.” State Representative Angie Nixon also issued a statement saying she was “completely shocked” and “devastated”, calling Metayer her friend, colleague and sister in the movement. “She was a kind and caring person, and a true leader in her community. This is a tremendous loss for us all, and the world is darker without her.” I am keeping Nancy’s family in my thoughts and prayers.”
