Mom Of Slain Sayreville Councilwoman Throws Bottle At Murder Suspect

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — It was an extremely emotional day in the Middlesex County courthouse Monday, where the man accused of killing Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour pleaded "not guilty" to a charge of first-degree murder for her death.

And seconds after Rashid Ali Bynum, 29, denied killing her daughter, Mary Dwumfour threw a water bottle at his head.

She had been seated less than one foot behind Bynum during his arraignment Monday, which was the first time Ali appeared in court in New Jersey. After she threw the water bottle, Dwumfour was arrested by Middlesex County Sheriff's officers and led out of the court in handcuffs.

MyCentralJersey has video of the grieving mother throwing the water bottle. She is crying while she does so and her face is twisted in grief and anger.

She was charged with disorderly conduct and given a warning from the judge not to throw things at or attack the man accused of killing her daughter.

This was confirmed by former Middlesex County assemblyman John Wisniewski, a lawyer who has taken on the case of the Dwumfour family pro bono, and serves as the family's media representative. Wisniewski was in court Monday with the family.

"The man who is accused of taking her daughter's life is sitting just a couple feet in front of her. I don't think any of us can imagine what she was feeling," he said. "Judge (Joseph) Paone spoke to her after it happened and I thought he handled it very well. He said, and I'm paraphrasing, but he said he certainly understands her anger and understands the raw emotion that's going through her. He said something to the effect of if he was in her shoes he'd be feeling the exact same thing or worse. However, we are in a courtroom, that conduct is not permitted. Please do not do it again or I will have to exclude you from being a spectator in your daughter's murder trial."

Bynum's lawyer is Thomas Ashley, based out of Newark, who Wisniewski called a "well-regarded, top notch" and formidable criminal defense lawyer. Ashley tried to get his client out of jail until his trial begins, arguing the evidence against Bynum was circumstantial.

But Judge Paone denied that request Monday.

Bynum will be held in the Middlesex County jail until his next court appearance, scheduled for Oct. 30.

What else was revealed in court Monday:

At one point, Dwumfour and Bynum lived together: The young man and woman met through Champions Royal Assembly of God, a Christian mega-church in Newark. Bynum was living in Virginia; there is a sister parish of Royal Assembly in Newport News, VA.

"This was at the suggestion of church elders," said Wisniewski. "My understanding is she was a pastor for this church and she would go down to conferences at the sister parish in Newport News. The leaders of the church in Newport News asked Eunice to provide him with spiritual guidance. It was a coaching relationship. He had gotten into some trouble down in Virginia and they thought having him go up to New Jersey under her tutelage would be beneficial for him."

This was about six years ago; Dwumfour lived in a different condo but still in the same part of Sayreville. Part of her rent may have been paid by the church. Bynum moved in with her and her daughter, then about 6, and lived with them for under a year, said Wisniewski.

"There is no indication it was a romantic relationship," he said.

At some point, Bynum was asked to leave Champions Royal Assembly. He remained stored in her phone under Fire Congress Fellowship, a Bible study the two attended together.

Bynum is accused of shooting Dwumfour 14 times at close range: Fourteen shell casings were found the night of Feb. 1 at the murder scene, where Dwumfour lived in the Camelot at La Mer complex in Sayreville.

All 14 of those shell casings ended up matching a gun that was found in a fanny pack in the Virginia home where Bynum was arrested in May.

Assistant prosecutor Amber Gibbs is arguing the case on behalf of Middlesex County.

In court Monday, she laid out the scene: She says Bynum laid in wait for Dwumfour as she drove home in the evening of Feb. 1. While her daughter and a friend were inside the house, he approached her SUV and neighbors heard the two exchange words, in what sounded like an argument. Then prosecutors say he fired a gun 14 times into Dwumfour's car, killing her.

Bynum’s phone GPS also showed that it traveled from Virginia to New Jersey the day of the shooting and returned to Virginia immediately after.

Killing of NJ Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour: What We Know So Far (May 2023)