What did Rashid Ali Bynum do? Suspect arrested in New Jersey councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour's murder

On February 1, 2023, 30-year-old New Jersey councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour was located by the police after being gunned down in her car outside her residence. In a press conference, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone stated that on May 30, 2023, at about 10:45 am, state and federal authorities apprehended 28-year-old Rashid Ali Bynum in connection to the shooting.

Bynum was arrested outside a residence in Chesapeake City, Virginia.

Rashid Ali Bynum is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, and second-degree possession of a handgun for unlawful purposes and is awaiting extradition from Virginia to New Jersey.

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Eunice Dwumfour apparently knew the suspect beforehand

Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office reported that on February 1, 2023, at about 7:30 pm, police found Eunice Dwumfour, who was a former EMT and active in her local church, dead from multiple gunshot wounds in her Nissan SUV, which collided near the Camelot at La Mer apartment complex in Sayreville.

As per the New York Post, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said:

"The murder has shaken the community, and no arrest will bring back the late councilwoman. However, I do trust that justice will be found through the criminal justice process."

NBC News reported that Prosecutor Ciccone mentioned how a witness informed authorities about spotting a suspicious white Hyundai in the area at the time of Eunice's death.

The New York Post reported that witnesses also saw a man dressed in black fleeing the scene.

In a press conference on May 30, 2023, Middlesex County Prosecutor Ciccone stated that authorities found Rashid Ali Bynum’s cell phone and his white Hyundai Elantra near the murder scene. She also mentioned that Rashid's appearance corresponded with the eyewitness descriptions and nearby surveillance footage.

Middlesex County Prosecutor Ciccone reported that Eunice Dwumfour had the suspect's contact saved in her phone. His contact was saved with the acronym "FCF" next to his name.

Prosecutor Ciccone mentioned that "FCF," stands for “Fire Congress Fellowship,” a church Eunice was previously associated with, and the fellowship is also affiliated with the Champion Royal Assembly, which the councilwoman was a member of at the time of her death.

As per Ciccone, days prior to the shooting, Rashid Ali Bynum reportedly ran searches online about magazines and their compatibility with a specific handgun.

On the day of the incident, Rashid also reportedly searched the web to know about the Champion Royal Assembly church and the Sayreville area.

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Eunice Dwumfour's child was inside their residence during the incident

Fox News reported that Eunice Dwumfour is survived by her new husband and her 12-year-old daughter, who was inside her residence during the shooting.

On May 31, 2023, family lawyer John Wisniewski told ABC News that the last few months have been tough on Dwumfour's family, and although they are glad about the arrest, they are also left with more questions.

ABC News reported that according to lawyer John Wisniewski, Rashid Ali Bynum is not someone the family has known or seen, and they are trying to figure out how he was related to Eunice Dwumfour.

According to the report by ABC News, on the day of the arrest, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said to Dwumfour's family,

"I hope that today is the beginning of a healing process, and also the beginning of a sense of justice."

The New York Post reported that authorities located a handgun at the address in Smithfield, Virginia, to which Rashid returned after allegedly murdering Eunice Dwumfour.

Middlesex County Prosecutor Ciccone did not mention a motive or take questions at the end of the press conference on May 30, 2023.