NJ councilwoman’s murder suspect to stay in Virginia until hearing.

Church Associate Charged with Murder of New Jersey Pastor and Councilwoman

A shocking crime has rocked the community of Sayreville, New Jersey, where a beloved pastor and town councilwoman, Eunice Dwumfour, was gunned down outside her home earlier this year. Now, a suspect has been arrested and charged with her murder.

The Suspect

The suspect, Rashid Ali Bynum, 29, of Portsmouth, Virginia, was a church associate of Dwumfour’s and had previously lived in Sayreville. He has a long record of arrests in Virginia on charges that include gun possession, credit card fraud, and a string of driving violations.

The Victim

Dwumfour, 30, was a devout Christian and a member of the Champions Royal Assembly church in Newark, where she helped lead services several times a week and served as a church treasurer. She was elected to her first three-year term on the City Council in 2021, when she ousted a Democratic incumbent. Colleagues remembered her as a soft-spoken woman who could maintain her composure in contentious situations.

She had recently gotten married to a fellow pastor from her Nigerian church, but her husband had not yet joined her in the United States.

The Investigation

Bynum was listed in Dwumfour’s phone under the acronym “FCF,” or Fire Congress Fellowship, a related church entity. However, the extent of his involvement with the church remains unclear.

While the arrest raised more questions than answers for Dwumfour’s family in Newark—their lawyer said they do not know the suspect—some in Sayreville expressed relief.

Bynum will remain in custody in Virginia until a June 29 extradition hearing after a hearing Friday was postponed, court records show. A public defender named to represent him in the extradition case did not immediately return a call seeking comment on Friday.

Conclusion

This tragic event has left the community in shock and mourning. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dwumfour’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.