NJ councilwoman’s murder suspect to be held 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. He has a long record of arrests in Virginia on charges that include gun possession, credit card fraud, and a string of driving violations.

Bynum was listed in Dwumfour’s phone under the acronym “FCF,” or Fire Congress Fellowship, a related church entity. She was deeply involved with the prosperity gospel group, helping lead services several times a week in Newark and serving as a church treasurer.

However, the extent of Bynum’s involvement with the church remained unclear Friday.

The Crime

Dwumfour, 30, had gotten married just months before she was gunned down outside her rented townhome on Feb. 1 as she returned from the grocery store. She married a fellow pastor from her Nigerian church, Champions Royal Assembly, at its Abuja headquarters in November, but her husband had not yet joined her in the United States.

The Arrest

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

Community Reaction

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.

“There was an air of unease, having not had any idea of the circumstances of the crime and the perpetrator,” said Karen Bailey Bebert, a local Republican.