Two Black Women Leaders Murdered by Husbands

The killings of Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer and Dr. Cerima Fairfax expose the deadly threat of male violence against Black women.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 12:04am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a shattered cell phone screen reflecting a faint red light, conceptually representing the aftermath of domestic violence without depicting actual violence, weapons, or victims.The shattered remnants of domestic violence serve as a somber reminder of the deadly threat Black women face in their own homes.Fairfax Today

In separate incidents this month, two prominent Black women leaders were murdered by their husbands. Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer was shot and killed by her husband, Stephen Bowen, who was charged with premeditated murder. In another case, beloved dentist Dr. Cerima Wanzer Fairfax was killed by her estranged husband, Justin Fairfax, a former Virginia lieutenant governor, who then died by suicide. These tragic events highlight the disproportionate risk of domestic violence that Black women face, with Black women accounting for 30% of homicides resulting from partner violence despite making up only 14% of the U.S. population.

Why it matters

The murders of Metayer and Fairfax underscore the deadly threat of male violence against Black women, even for those in positions of power and success. Black women face alarmingly high rates of intimate partner homicide, with guns being the most common weapon used. These cases also reveal how the media often frames these crimes in a way that distances the male perpetrators from their violence and focuses more on the men's careers and reputations rather than the victims' stories and experiences.

The details

In the case of Nancy Metayer, the 39-year-old vice mayor of Coral Springs, Florida, was found shot to death in her home. Police arrested her husband, Stephen Bowen, and charged him with premeditated murder and tampering with evidence. In the other incident, Dr. Cerima Wanzer Fairfax, a beloved 46-year-old dentist, was killed by her estranged husband, Justin Fairfax, a former Virginia lieutenant governor. After shooting Fairfax, he then died by suicide, leaving their two teenage children orphaned.

  • On April 5, 2026, Nancy Metayer was found shot to death in her home.
  • On April 17, 2026, Dr. Cerima Wanzer Fairfax was killed by her estranged husband, Justin Fairfax, who then died by suicide.

The players

Nancy Metayer

The 39-year-old vice mayor of Coral Springs, Florida, who was murdered by her husband.

Stephen Bowen

The husband of Nancy Metayer who was charged with premeditated murder and tampering with evidence in her death.

Dr. Cerima Wanzer Fairfax

A 46-year-old beloved dentist who was killed by her estranged husband, Justin Fairfax.

Justin Fairfax

The estranged husband of Dr. Cerima Wanzer Fairfax who killed her and then died by suicide.

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What they’re saying

“We love when Black men's careers fall from grace, and if the Black man played his cards right, we can see how this narrative is an easy detour into 'family-man-who-committed-heinous-act-must-have-had-mental-issues' route.”

— Karen Attiah, Journalist

“Men who kill their female partners and wives should, at the absolute fucking minimum, lose their right to be called partners, husbands, or family men.”

— Karen Attiah, Journalist

What’s next

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding both murders, and the victims' families are seeking justice and accountability for the loss of their loved ones.

The takeaway

These tragic killings of prominent Black women leaders by their husbands underscore the urgent need to address the epidemic of male violence against Black women, who face disproportionately high rates of intimate partner homicide. Media coverage that frames these crimes in a way that distances the male perpetrators from their violence must also be challenged.