A ju umpire from New Jersey was convicted on Monday in connection with the murder of Rashid Ali Bynum, who was involved in the theft of a Republican councillor’s gun in 2023.
The victim, Eunice Dwamfore, made history as the first Black member of the Sayreville City Council.
Judge Joseph Paone from Middlesex County Superior Court has scheduled the ruling for Bynum on August 18.
If sentenced, he could face a life term of up to 30 years.
Bynum had connections to Dwamfore’s congregation several years ago, as noted by Christian Onuoha, a fellow council member and churchgoer.
“She was his pastor a few years back, around 2018,” he shared. “That’s the last time anyone remembers seeing him.”
Bynum’s criminal history is extensive, with prior allegations of fraud, counterfeiting, and theft dating back to 2013. He also faced firearm-related charges in Virginia in 2015 and in Maryland in 2019.
In the 2015 case, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for carrying a concealed weapon and received three years of probation.
Peter Akwue, Dwamfore’s husband, who is also a pastor based in Africa, mentioned last month that she was not acquainted with Bynum.
At just 30 years old, Dwamfore had a diverse background as a former EMT and IT consultant, contributing to local churches and nonprofits while serving on the Human Relations Commission at the Sayreville Borough Council for at-risk communities.
She had a shocking electoral victory in November 2021, emerging as a new candidate against incumbent Democrats.
On February 1, 2023, police discovered her in a white Nissan SUV, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds around 7:30 PM.
Bynum was arrested at his home in Chesapeake, Virginia, at the end of May before being transferred to New Jersey.
