NEW BRUNSWICK – A Virginia man has been found guilty of the 2023 murder of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour, a verdict that brought both relief and tears to her grieving family. The decision came on June 9, after just over a day of deliberation, concluding a four-week trial presided over by Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Joseph Paone.
Rashid Ali Bynum, 31, was convicted of murder and two weapons offenses. He is scheduled for sentencing on August 18, facing a potential prison sentence of 30 years to life.
Dwumfour, 30, the borough’s first Black elected official, was tragically shot and killed inside her car outside her home at the Camelot at LaMer apartment complex in Parlin on February 1, 2023. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Neighbors reported hearing gunshots and immediately contacted police.
One resident testified to seeing a man, described as a Black male in his early 20s, approximately 6 feet tall and 180 pounds, wearing dark clothing with a hooded top and braids or dreadlocks, standing at Dwumfour’s car with a gun and firing into the vehicle. This witness stated the shooter resembled Bynum. Another neighbor observed a white Hyundai Elantra in the vicinity. Investigators later determined this vehicle had been rented by Bynum in Virginia the day before the murder. Cellphone records further placed Bynum in the area of the apartment complex at the time of the shooting.
During the trial, which featured testimony from approximately 38 individuals, jurors heard evidence that more than 10 bullet casings recovered by police were discharged from a Glock handgun. Crucially, Bynum’s DNA was found on the grip and slide of a Glock 19 that he had given to his girlfriend in April 2023, two months after the murder. She subsequently hid the weapon under her bed, where it was recovered by police following Bynum’s arrest in May 2023. Testimony also revealed that the manager of a Virginia outdoor store confirmed Bynum purchased three Glock firearm magazines for $142.94 on January 30, 2023, just days before Dwumfour’s death. At the time of her passing, Dwumfour still had Bynum’s contact information in her cellphone.
Following the verdict, Mary Dwumfour, Eunice Dwumfour’s mother, and other family members were observed embracing the prosecution team. Dwumfour’s mother expressed gratitude for the guilty verdict. Sayreville Mayor Kennedy O’Brien also voiced his appreciation for the conviction, stating that justice had been served and acknowledging the tireless efforts of the Sayreville Police Department, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, and other law enforcement agencies involved in the case. He hoped the jury’s action would provide some comfort to the Dwumfour family, who continue to grapple with the profound impact of this senseless act of violence.
Dwumfour, a church pastor, had initially met Bynum several years prior while recruiting individuals for her church. Bynum relocated from Virginia to New Jersey to live with her and other church members, but he was later asked to return home after failing to adhere to religious practices.
