Florida Vice Mayor Killed

Written By Brionna Gillis

By Brionna Gillis

Coral Springs Vice Mayor, Metayer Bowen, was found dead at her home last Wednesday after her body was found by police during a wellness check. The Coral Springs Police Department, in Broward Country, has opened an investigation. 

Metayer Bowen’s husband, Stephen Bowen, was arrested following a preliminary investigation, the city said. Brown was accused of fatally shooting Metayer Bowen, according to the affidavit released by the police, per NBC news.

“Honestly, given her career, I’m surprised that it wasn't politically motivated. Either way I think it's really sad that the person you’re supposed to feel the most safe with could possibly be the one who caused the most harm,” said Amani Weather, a fourth-year English-education major.  

Police arrived at the couple’s home after officials raised the alarm when Metayer Bowen missed scheduled meetings on Wednesday and was not responding to messages. A detective searched the outside of the property and found explosive-like damage that appeared consistent with force from the inside of the house. 

A swat team was later sent to the home after police spotted Metayer Bowen’s car in a parking lot with a person that matched the description of her husband who was reported to have handed a bag to another man that appeared to be carrying a firearm case. The person, who remains anonymous in the affidavit, said Stephen Bowen had confessed doing something to Metayer Bowen. 

After searching the home, Metayer Bownen’s body was found on the second floor of the home wrapped in a blanket with three spent shotgun shells. 

Metayer Bowen was a rising political star, known for her work in shaping the community and her advocacy for issues such as environmental justice and enhancing community resilience. 

“A cherished member of our family, but also a dedicated public servant who committed her life to improving the lives of others,” said Metayer Bowen’s family in a statement, per NBC News. “Her legacy will not only live on in the policies she helped shape but in the countless lives she touched.”  

Lawmakers around the state expressed condolences and shock at her sudden death and praised her leadership, lamenting that she will be missed.

Courtesy of NBC News

Brionna Gillis

My name is Brionna Gillis. I am a graduating senior, journalism major and political science minor from Baltimore, Maryland. Outside of WHOV-TV Digital Team, I am a part of Campus Plus, Contemporary Composer, NABJ, and one of the Digital Editors for the Title III newsletter, just to name a few. I also served as a writer for the Hampton Script. I enjoy reading, particularly romance and fantasy, writing, and listening to music. My enjoyment of writing comes from its form of being another way of self-expression, I don’t always articulate how I am feeling or what I am thinking in the way that I want to, writing allows me to gather my thoughts and put them down on a page. Writing also allows me to relax and get out any negative thoughts that I have been harboring. I also enjoy writing because it allows me to share stories that people have never heard/seen before. My plan after graduating from Hampton is to become a writer for a newspaper or news station and eventually become an investigative reporter.

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