To the world, Nancy Metayer Bowen was a barrier-breaking vice mayor with a radiant smile who seemed to carry the weight of Coral Springs and the Florida Democratic Party on her shoulders with effortless grace. She was the trailblazer who had an answer for every crisis and a scientist’s mind for policy, until missed meetings left colleagues concerned.
Suggested Reading
Metayer Bowen, elected as the first ever Black and Haitian American female city commissioner, buried her brother Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer— a survivor of the deadly Parkland shooting— who died by suicide in their family home in December.
Now, her family is planning another funeral after she was found dead in her Coral Springs home.
Here’s everything we know so far about her murder that has a community reeling.
The Silence That Spoke Volumes
It was uncharacteristic for Metayer Bowen, 38, to miss work meetings. When she didn’t show up early to a Wednesday (April 1) meeting and couldn’t be reached by phone, the Coral Springs Police Department were called to conduct a wellness check at her residence on the 800 block of NW 127th Avenue, NBC News reported.
“Hi Stephen! Luwam here. I’m trying to reach Nancy. Can you pls ask her to call me?” Coral Springs Commission Relationship Manager Luwam Ghermay wrote to her husband, Stephen Bowen.
Ghermay said he had received a message from Metayer Bowen’s phone number around 8:00 a.m. regarding “Discussion Items.” However, it’s unclear whether that message was really sent by Bowen or if his wife had scheduled to send it before her death.
“Texted her,” Bowen replied. “She is not picking up.”
The Gruesome Discovery
Concerned city hall staffers called for a wellness check, but nothing could have prepared the responding officers for the carnage behind the front door.
Upon their arrival, Metayer Bowen was found dead in a second-floor bedroom. Her body was wrapped in blankets and garbage bags, and a pillow was found on the bed with burn marks and string as if it was used as a makeshift silencer, according to an affidavit. Three shotgun shells were also found at the scene.
The Ultimate Betrayal
After a preliminary investigation, police arrested one suspect: Metayer Bowen’s husband, Stephen Bowen. Officials had tracked Bowen down to an apartment complex in Plantation, about 12 miles south of Coral Springs. Before his arrest, he reportedly was handing off a gun bag and ammo boxes to a fellow Freemason, per Local10.com.
When police arrived, Bowen reportedly said, “Oh shit, they’re here for me.”
The city said the Florida A&M University graduate’s death “was domestic in nature,” and her husband has been charged with premeditated murder and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
A Chilling Confession
In a police interview, Stephen Bowen’s uncle alleged Stephen fled to his home around 10:00 a.m. Wednesday where he reportedly confessed to shooting his wife three times the day before, the Associated Press reported. He reportedly admitted “he did something to (his wife)” and revealed “she was not alive.”
“When asked why, Stephen Bowen said that he ‘couldn’t take it anymore,’” the affidavit stated.
Stephen Bowen’s mother said he told her Tuesday that he had a “panic attack at work” and was going to speak with his wife about it, according to the AP.
A Life Cut Short
As the first Black and Haitian-American woman on the commission, Metayer Bowen had already shattered the glass ceiling and was preparing to take that momentum to Washington D.C. with a historic Congressional bid.
Colleagues described Metayer Bowen, who graduated from Johns Hopkins University, as “an angel.”
Former Dania Beach Mayor Tamara James wrote in a touching Facebook tribute: “I am at a loss of words. THIS IS DEVASTATING! Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen was an angel. Her service, selfless. Her spirit, pure. Her passion, unmatched. We campaigned together, moved in many of the same circles, and every single time I saw her, she was the same… gracious, warm, and genuine. Her smile was truly infectious… the kind that made you feel seen and uplifted.”
A Community Grieving
“She wasn’t just a leader. She was the light in every room that she entered. She was a steady voice in difficult times, a compassionate soul who lifted others up and a friend to so many,” City Manager Catherine Givens said at Wednesday’s news conference. “Our hearts are truly broken.”
Stephen Bowen is being held in the Broward County Jail without bond.
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.