DeSantis Lowers Flags Friday for Slain Coral Springs Vice Mayor

Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered flags at the state capitol and all state and local buildings in Coral Springs to fly at half-staff Friday in honor of Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen, a 38-year-old environmental scientist and trailblazing elected official killed in an apparent domestic violence incident April 1.

The order runs from sunrise to sunset Friday and applies to state buildings in Tallahassee and all local and state buildings, installations, and grounds in Coral Springs, public documents show. DeSantis directed the memo to Florida Director of Real Estate Management and Development Brian Fienemann and Coral Springs Mayor Scott Brook. The governor did not include a personal statement.

Metayer Bowen's death marked the loss of one of Broward County's most prominent rising political figures. Elected to the Coral Springs Commission in 2020, she became the first Black and Haitian American woman to serve on that body, won re-election without opposition in 2024, and was appointed vice mayor later that year. Her career spanned environmental and public health work across Florida, with board roles focused on sustainability, housing, and civic engagement.

Officers found her deceased after city staff grew alarmed when she failed to appear at scheduled meetings and could not be reached, Coral Springs Police said. A wellness check led officers to her home, where she was discovered. Her husband, Stephen Bowen, was taken into custody and faces charges of premeditated murder and tampering with evidence, officials said.

The circumstances of her death — a public servant unreachable, colleagues sounding the alarm, a husband now accused of her killing — cast a stark shadow over a career defined by advocacy for the vulnerable. Friends, family, and supporters launched an endowment in her memory last week to preserve her legacy and support her loved ones.

The flag order reflects state government action prompted by the violent death of a Florida official whose environmental and public health work touched communities across the state. Officials said

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