SAYREVILLE, NJ – In a significant development, authorities announced on Tuesday that an arrest has been made in connection with the murder of New Jersey councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour. Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone addressed the media during a press conference, revealing that Rashid Ali Bynum, a 28-year-old resident of Portsmouth, Virginia, was apprehended by the police.
Bynum was taken into custody without incident in Chesapeake City, Virginia, and is now awaiting extradition to New Jersey. Ciccone detailed the charges against him, stating that he is facing first-degree murder charges, as well as second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose.
The tragic incident occurred on the evening of February 1 when Dwumfour, a respected councilwoman from Sayreville, was shot to death while seated in her car. Law enforcement authorities responded to a 911 call reporting gunfire, discovering the lifeless body of the 30-year-old councilwoman with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of emergency responders, she succumbed to her injuries at the scene.
During the investigation, witnesses provided crucial information that helped track down the suspect. According to Ciccone, one witness reported observing a suspicious white Hyundai Elantra with Virginia license plates in the vicinity. Using E-ZPass logs and license plate trackers, investigators were able to trace the movements of a white Hyundai Elantra traveling between Virginia and New Jersey.
Another witness described seeing a thin Black male with braids, approximately 5’10” in height, in the area where the murder took place. Surveillance footage also captured an individual matching these characteristics near the scene of the crime, further bolstering the case against Bynum.
Law enforcement authorities were able to establish a connection between Bynum and the victim through various pieces of evidence. A cellphone registered to Bynum was tracked traveling from Virginia to New Jersey and then back to Virginia after the shooting. Additionally, investigators discovered that Dwumfour had saved Bynum’s contact information as “FCF” in her phone. Ciccone revealed that “FCF” stood for Fire Congress Fellowship church, which was linked to the Champions Royal Assembly, a church that Dwumfour attended. However, no further details were provided regarding the connection between these religious institutions.
Further examination of records revealed that Bynum had conducted online searches about the Champions Royal Assembly and the Sayreville area on the day of the murder. Additionally, in the days leading up to the crime, Bynum had searched for magazines compatible with a specific handgun, according to Ciccone.
During the press conference, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin expressed his condolences to Dwumfour’s grieving family, assuring them that law enforcement had spared no effort in the investigation. He praised their extraordinary work and the exhaustive pursuit of justice in this tragic homicide case.
The arrest of Rashid Ali Bynum offers hope that justice will be served in the untimely death of Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour, providing some solace to her family and the community mourning her loss.