NJ Councilwoman’s Killer May Have Been a Fellow Churchgoer

Kalyn Womack
·2 min read
(Left) Rashid Ali Bynum (Right) Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour
(Left) Rashid Ali Bynum (Right) Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour

A man has been arrested for the shooting and killing of New Jersey councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour back in February. Though the motive for the killing is unknown, authorities found the man may have known the councilwoman from church, according to ABC News.

Rashid Ali Bynum, 28, is accused of shooting Dwumfour multiple times while she was inside her car parked outside her home. Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said Bynum was a saved contact in the councilwoman’s phone under the name “FCF” which authorities believe stands for Fire Congress Fellowship. Dwumfour used to be affiliated with the church and it was also related to the parish she attended at the time of her death.

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Not much is known about the relationship or lack thereof between the two. But authorities picked up some suspicious activity from Bynum leading up to the murder.

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On the day of the shooting, Bynum allegedly searched online for information on the Champion Royal Assembly church and the Sayreville area, according to Ciccone.

In the days before the murder, Bynum allegedly searched online for what magazines were compatible with a specific handgun, she said.

Bynum’s phone traveled from Virginia to New Jersey at the time of the murder, and Bynum’s physical description matched a witness description of the suspect at the scene, Ciccone said.

Officials did not discuss a possible motive and did not take questions from reporters. Ciccone called it a “complex, extensive case.”

Dwumfour was a mom, business analyst, part-time EMT and Republican-elect for the Sayreville Borough Council. Her death sent shockwaves through the town’s council from the commission boards all the way to the mayor’s office. Governor Phil Murphy also sent his condolences upon the news.

The councilwoman’s family and supporters criticized law enforcement for their lack of speed in finding a suspect. Bynum’s arrest comes almost four months after her death.

“I want you to know that the folks behind me and the folks in this community and across the state that work tirelessly on this investigation did so to ensure public safety and to ensure that those questions could be answered,” said NJ Attorney General Matt Platkin via NBC.

Bynum is facing first-degree murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun and second-degree possession of a handgun for unlawful purpose, per the report.

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