A Virginia man with a criminal record spanning over a decade has been convicted of executing a Republican councilwoman in a brazen assassination that has sent shockwaves through local political circles nationwide.
Key Takeaways
- Rashid Ali Bynum, 29, was found guilty of murdering Republican Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour, who was shot 14 times while sitting in her car outside her New Jersey home.
- The jury convicted Bynum of murder and weapons charges after just six hours of deliberation following a four-week trial; he now faces 30 years to life in prison.
- Evidence included Bynum’s DNA on the murder weapon, surveillance footage, witness testimonies, and a rental car tracked to the crime scene.
- Bynum, who knew Dwumfour through church around 2018, has a criminal history dating back to 2013 including fraud, forgery, theft, and a previous gun charge.
- The murder of Dwumfour, who was the first Black elected official in Sayreville and a mother to a preteen daughter, raises serious concerns about the safety of public officials.
Brutal Assassination of Republican Councilwoman
Rashid Ali Bynum, 29, has been found guilty in the February 1, 2023, execution-style murder of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour. The 30-year-old Republican councilwoman, who was serving her first term and was the first Black elected official in Sayreville, was ambushed and shot 14 times while sitting in her vehicle outside her apartment complex after returning from Walmart. The attack was so violent that after being shot, her vehicle rolled forward and crashed into two parked cars. Dwumfour, a devoted church member, left behind a preteen daughter who lived with her at the Camelot at La Mer apartment complex.
The shocking murder sent ripples through the community and raised significant concerns about the safety of elected officials, particularly at the local level where security is often minimal. Dwumfour’s family has spent over 860 days waiting for justice, a wait that finally ended with Bynum’s conviction after a four-week trial. The jury, consisting of nine men and three women, deliberated for just over six hours before reaching their verdict, rejecting defense claims that the case was built purely on circumstantial evidence.
Damning Evidence and Church Connection
Prosecutors presented compelling evidence during the trial, including Bynum’s DNA found on a Glock 19 handgun connected to the murder. Additionally, records showed Bynum had purchased firearm magazines shortly before the murder. Surveillance footage and witness testimony placed a man matching Bynum’s description at the scene, and investigators identified a rental vehicle linked to him in the area at the time of the murder. The prosecution called approximately 38 witnesses to build their case, methodically establishing Bynum’s presence and connection to the crime.
“She was his pastor around 2018,” said Christian Onuoha. “That was the last time any of us remember seeing him.”
The connection between Bynum and Dwumfour through their church association provides a crucial link, though prosecutors have not fully detailed the motive behind the killing. This religious connection, combined with Bynum’s extensive criminal history, paints a disturbing picture of a man who targeted a public servant with whom he had previous contact. Bynum’s defense attorney has already indicated plans to appeal the verdict, citing issues with the prosecution’s closing statements and questioning the circumstantial nature of some evidence presented during the trial.
Justice for a Fallen Public Servant
Bynum’s conviction for murder and two weapons offenses now puts him facing 30 years to life in prison, with sentencing scheduled for August 18. His criminal history is extensive, with accusations of fraud, forgery, and theft dating back to 2013. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to illegally carrying a concealed firearm and received three years of probation – a light sentence that failed to deter him from obtaining another weapon and committing this heinous murder. The case highlights serious questions about criminal justice reforms that have allowed violent offenders to remain on the streets.
“Today, 860 days later, justice has been served with the conviction of the responsible party. I am grateful for the efforts of our Sayreville Police Department, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the many other law enforcement agencies that worked tirelessly to identify and ultimately convict the person responsible. May the jury’s action provide some small level of comfort to the Dwumfour family, which continues to struggle with the lasting magnitude of this senseless violence,” said Sayreville Mayor Kennedy O’Brien.
The murder of Councilwoman Dwumfour serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of our elected officials and the risks they face in service to their communities. As political tensions continue to rise across the country, this case underscores the critical need for increased security measures for public servants at all levels of government. For Dwumfour’s family, the conviction brings some measure of closure, though nothing can truly compensate for their devastating loss. As her mother, Mary Dwumfour, powerfully noted: “God did a good job because you can’t kill somebody and go away.”
