Vice chairwoman of state Democratic Party killed

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(The Center Square) – Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen, also vice chairwoman of the state Democratic Party, was found dead at her home in what police are calling a domestic violence incident.

Her husband, Stephen Bowen, was arrested Wednesday and charged with premeditated murder and tampering with or fabricating evidence, jail records show.

Bowen was elected a Coral Springs commissioner in 2020 and reelected in 2024. She was the first Black and Haitian American female to serve as a commissioner in Coral Springs, according to the Coral Springs Government website.

Bowen’s sister released a statement on behalf of the family asking for privacy and prayers as they grieve.

“We are deeply saddened to share the passing of my beloved sister Nancy Metayer-Bowen," the statement said. "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. To us, she was a source of strength, wisdom, and love – someone who always put others before herself.

"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 in the countless lives she touched.”

Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried said Bowen’s death is an “unimaginable, devastating loss.”

“It is with a broken heart and profound grief that the Florida Democratic Party mourns the sudden and horrific death of our beloved vice chair, Nancy Metayer Bowen," the statement said. "Just days ago, I spoke with Nancy. Just two weeks ago, I held her in a hug at our Party’s Leadership Summit, never imagining it would be one of our last moments together.

“Nancy was not simply our vice chair of Haitian Outreach. She was a scientist. An environmentalist. A brilliant barrier-breaker who made history as the first Black and Haitian-American woman elected to the Coral Springs City Commission. A vice mayor who showed up every single day for the people she served. 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. Above all, Nancy was my friend and a friend to everyone who has ever believed that democracy was worth fighting for. The world is less bright without her in it.”