A Florida Democratic leader was discovered dead in her home last week, with her husband already charged with murder.
City Hall colleagues in Coral Springs, Florida, grew concerned when Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer, 38, missed a scheduled meeting. Her husband, Stephen Bowen, 40, texted someone, denying knowledge of her whereabouts and mentioning that “her car wasn’t at home.”
During a welfare check by police that afternoon, they found “a human body wrapped in a blanket and a black trash bag” in the master bedroom. An unusual detail emerged from the scene: a pillow with “burn marks,” suspected to have been used as a “makeshift silencer.”
By the time Metayer was found, suspicion had already begun to surround Bowen. In a 911 call shortly before 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Bowen’s uncle claimed that his nephew admitted to “shooting his wife three times” the previous night and then sleeping with her body wrapped in a futon.
Bowen’s uncle pressed him for clarification on why he did it, to which Bowen allegedly responded, “I can’t take it anymore.”
Leslie Washington Jr., who knew Bowen through Freemasonry, stated that Bowen had contacted him around 12:30 p.m., asking him to meet. When they met, Bowen handed over what Washington described as a “gun bag.” Washington later took it to his apartment, stating he was unaware of any criminal acts committed by Bowen.
Bowen was taken into custody around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, facing charges of first-degree premeditated murder and tampering with evidence.
The sudden death of Metayer has left her loved ones across Florida in disbelief. “Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer loved Coral Springs. Without her, our community was forever changed. We honor her accomplishments and her passion,” the city stated. A video tribute to Metayer was also shared via social media.
Coral Springs City Manager Katherine Givens remarked, “There are no words that can truly express the depth of this loss.”
The Florida Democratic Party expressed heartbreak over Metayer’s death. “Above all, Nancy was a friend to me and to everyone who believed that democracy was worth fighting for,” said Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried.
Metayer had made history as the first elected Vice Mayor, having joined the Coral Springs City Commission in 2020 and was preparing for re-election in 2024.
