Introduction to the Case
The man was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a New Jersey city councilwoman right outside her home as her family waited inside.
Rashid Bynum was convicted in June of first-degree murder and second-degree weapon possession in the 2023 shooting death of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour, whose family sat weeping in court on Monday. Her sister urged the judge the impose the maximum sentence on the man who carefully planned the murder of her sister.
The Sentencing and Family’s Plea
"You drove how long to kill a woman? What kind of a man are you?" asked Priscilla Dwumfour.
A Middlesex county assistant prosecutor read a letter from the victim’s teenage daughter, who was just 11 when her mother was killed.
"I still have not recovered from what happened to her, so why did you kill my mom?" the letter read.
Bynum did not speak in court, and has never taken responsibility for the murder. He got a life sentence, with the judge saying the killing "was committed in an especially cruel and depraved manner," and cited Bynum’s lack of remorse. He won’t be eligible for parole until 2088, when he is 94 years old.
The Murder and Investigation
Dwumfour, who served on the Sayreville Borough Council for about a year, was gunned down on Feb. 1, 2023. Bynum wasn’t tracked down until May 30, nearly four months after the deadly shooting.
Investigators said Bynum had known Dwumfour, but it was not clear how well the two knew each other. The only connection between the two police have is that the suspect was linked to the church Dwumfour attended.
Investigators traced Bynum’s travels from his cellphone and vehicle location data from the night of the killing, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said after the arrest was made, citing surveillance video and E-ZPass records. He also matched the description of the gunman given by neighbors in Sayreville.
The Arrest and Background
Bynum, 29, was taken into custody outside a residence in Chesapeake, Virginia, without incident.
According to a family attorney, neither Dwumfour’s parents nor sibling recognized the name or picture of the suspect. Dwumfour, who grew up in Newark, did live in Virginia at one point, and family lawyer John Wisniewski said Bynum had previously lived in Sayreville. But beyond that, he did not know the nature of their relationship and the prosecutor declined to discuss a possible motive.
Dwumfour was a pastor in a prosperity gospel church, Champions Royal Assembly, that is based in Nigeria, and she got married there in Nov. 2022 to a fellow pastor from Abuja. She was also an officer of a related entity, the Fire Congress Fellowship, that has a branch in Virginia. Bynum was listed in her cellphone contacts under that group’s acronym.
"A search of the victim’s phone revealed Bynum as a contact with the acronym FCF," said Ciccone.
Financial Connections and Family’s Frustration
Court records and tax filings suggest that church finances in the U.S. were tight. Dwumfour had been named in a series of landlord-tenant disputes in Newark dating from 2017 to 2020 involving the fellowship, which had seen its income drop from about $250,000 in 2017 to just $350 in 2020.
Through the months before the arrest was made, the councilwomen’s family members expressed their frustration. Dwumfour’s daughter described what she heard just outside her window the night of the shooting, as the family was waiting inside for the mother to finish parking her vehicle.
"We’re waiting for my mom to look for a parking space, and then she was taking a lot of time so we started calling her over and over again, but it wouldn’t pick up. And then we heard gunshots and we started calling the police," Nicole Teliano previously told the AP.
Conclusion
The sentencing of Rashid Bynum to life in prison brings a measure of closure to the family of Eunice Dwumfour, but the pain and questions surrounding her murder will linger. The case highlights the complexities of human relationships and the devastating consequences of violence.
FAQs
- Q: Who was Eunice Dwumfour?
A: Eunice Dwumfour was a New Jersey city councilwoman who was murdered outside her home in 2023. - Q: Who was convicted of her murder?
A: Rashid Bynum was convicted of first-degree murder and second-degree weapon possession in the shooting death of Eunice Dwumfour. - Q: What was the sentence given to Rashid Bynum?
A: Rashid Bynum was sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole in 2088. - Q: What was the connection between the suspect and the victim?
A: The suspect, Rashid Bynum, was linked to the church that Eunice Dwumfour attended, and he was listed in her cellphone contacts under the acronym of a related entity. - Q: How did the investigation lead to the arrest of Rashid Bynum?
A: Investigators traced Bynum’s travels from his cellphone and vehicle location data from the night of the killing, using surveillance video and E-ZPass records.
