The vice mayor of a South Florida city was found dead in her home Wednesday and police said they are investigating it as a “domestic violence incident.”

Police were called to the home of Coral Springs Vice Nancy Metayer Bowen shortly after 10 a.m. on Wednesday to check on her well-being, Police Chief Brad Mock told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday evening. They found her dead inside the residence, he said.

Her husband, 40-year-old Stephen Bowen, was taken into custody, police said.

Metayer Bowen, 38, was the first Black and Haitian American female commissioner in the city when she was first elected in 2020, according to her biography on the city’s website. She was re-elected in 2024 and appointed to serve as vice mayor by her fellow commissioners.

An environmental scientist, before being elected to the city commission, Metayer Bowen served as a member of the Broward County Soil and Water Conservation District, where she helped respond to Hurricanes Irma, Michael and Dorian, according to her bio.

“We are heartbroken to share that Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer has died,” the city of Coral Springs posted on social media. “She was more than a public servant, she was a light in our community. Her leadership was grounded in compassion, strength, and an unwavering commitment to others. Her impact on Coral Springs is immeasurable, and her loss leaves a void in our hearts.”

Speaking to reporters at a briefing on Wednesday, Coral Springs City Commissioner Joshua Simmons called the vice mayor a colleague and “battle buddy.”

He added, “She had such a good heart. She truly cared about people.”

Coral Springs City Manager Catherine Givens said, “To say today is a very dark day for us in Coral Springs is an understatement. There are no words that can truly capture the depth of this loss.”

Coral Springs, a city of about 133,000 residents in Broward County, is located about 20 miles northwest of Fort Lauderdale.