NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — A Virginia man has been sentenced to life in prison for the Eunice Dwumfour murder, a case that shocked New Jersey and reverberated through political and religious communities.
On Monday, 31-year-old Rashid Ali Bynum, of Portsmouth, Virginia, was handed the life sentence in a New Brunswick courtroom filled with family and supporters of Dwumfour. The victim, a 30-year-old pastor and Sayreville councilwoman, was shot multiple times outside her home in February 2023.
Details of the Shooting
Dwumfour was ambushed as she pulled into her apartment complex on Feb. 1, 2023. She was killed inside her vehicle after being shot 14 times. Authorities said she had recently married a pastor in Abuja, Nigeria, and was deeply involved in her church community, Champions Royal Assembly.
Bynum, who had previously lived with Dwumfour and her child, allegedly returned to Sayreville before carrying out the attack. Despite extensive testimony, prosecutors did not identify a clear motive for the killing.
Connection Between Dwumfour and Bynum
Prosecutors outlined that Dwumfour had recruited Bynum into a Bible study group, Fire Congress Fellowship, while both lived in Virginia. He later relocated to Sayreville, where she often lived with other church members.
Their relationship eventually deteriorated, and Bynum returned to Virginia. Not long after, authorities said, he traveled back to New Jersey, where the fatal shooting took place.
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Trial and Sentencing
A jury convicted Bynum in June 2024 after a month-long trial that included testimony from church members and law enforcement. His attorney, Michael Ashley, argued that no direct evidence tied him to the murder and has said an appeal is planned.
“The jury spoke after carefully weighing the facts,” prosecutors said following the sentencing. Family members of Dwumfour described her as a “devoted mother, servant leader, and woman of faith” whose absence continues to leave a deep void.
Aftermath
Dwumfour’s death drew national attention due to her dual role as a religious leader and elected official. Tributes poured in from both political colleagues and members of the Nigerian Christian community, highlighting her influence across two continents.
As the appeal process looms, the case remains one of the most closely watched criminal proceedings in New Jersey in recent years.
