Stephen Bowen, 40, has entered a not guilty plea to first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence in the death of his wife, Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen.
Bowen’s attorneys filed the written plea earlier this month. On Tuesday, April 28, a Broward County judge formally accepted the plea during a brief court appearance. Bowen appeared in court shackled and wearing a “max custody” inmate jumpsuit. His arraignment was formally waived.
According to authorities, 38-year-old Nancy Metayer Bowen was found dead inside the couple’s Coral Springs home on April 1 following a welfare check. Police allege that Bowen shot her with a shotgun. He is accused of wrapping her body in blankets and garbage bags before fleeing the residence. He was arrested later that day in Plantation after allegedly confessing to a family member. A grand jury subsequently indicted him on the murder charge.
Bowen remains held without bond at the Broward County Main Jail.
Community Mourning
The killing of Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen, a trailblazing Haitian-American leader and the first Black woman elected to the Coral Springs City Commission, has deeply shaken South Florida’s political and Haitian communities. She was serving as vice mayor and was widely respected for her public service and commitment to her constituents.
Tributes continue to pour in from residents, city officials, and community leaders who remember her as a dedicated public servant and rising star in local politics.
The case remains ongoing, with further court proceedings expected in the coming months.
