Latest news with #Bynum
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Virginia man convicted in 2023 ambush, murder of NJ councilwoman
A man accused of ambushing and killing New Jersey councilwoman and evangelical minister Eunice Dwumfour was found guilty Monday of her murder. Rashid Ali Bynum, 30, was convicted by a jury of nine men and three women after five hours of deliberation Friday and another hour and 15 minutes on Monday morning, the Newark Star Ledger reported. Dwumfour's husband and other family members wept at the verdict. The Newark-born and raised Dwumfour, 30, a Republican serving her first term on the Sayreville Council, had just dropped off a roommate after coming home from Walmart the night she was shot. She went to park while he brought the groceries into their rented home at the Camelot at La Mer apartment complex. At 7:22 p.m. she was shot 14 times while sitting in her car. The car rolled downhill about 100 feet and smashed into two parked cars. Surveillance footage later surfaced of a mysterious figure fleeing the scene, corroborating neighbors' descriptions. Dwumfour had beaten a Democratic incumbent in 2021 to become the town's first Black elected official. She was also a staple in the community for her work in the church. She lived at the Camelot at La Mer apartment complex with her preteen daughter and two roommates. Just a few months earlier she had a fellow pastor of her Nigeria-based church, the prosperity gospel group Champions Royal Assembly. Husband Peter Ezechukwu was due to arrive from Nigeria that spring. Police finally caught up with and arrested Bynum, a former church associate of Dwumfour's, in August 2023. He was indicted on murder and weapons charges the same month and denied bail. Bynum's attorney, Michael Ashley, told reporters after the verdict 'there was no direct evidence' his client had pulled the trigger, and that Bynum 'almost certainly' planned to appeal. He's scheduled for sentencing in August and faces 30 years to life in prison. With News Wire Services
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Virginia man found guilty in death of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour: officials
SAYREVILLE, N.J. (PIX11) — The man charged in connection with the death of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour in 2023 was found guilty of murder, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office announced Monday. Rashid Ali Bynum of Virginia will be sentenced on August 18. More Local News Bynum was found guilty of first-degree murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, and unlawful possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, prosecutors say. Dwumfour, 30, was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside her vehicle outside her home in a townhouse complex in Sayreville on the evening of February 1, 2023, according to authorities. Authorities linked Bynum to Dwumfour's killing using surveillance video, witness reports, cellphone data, internet searches, and E-ZPass records, among other pieces of evidence, officials said. Dwumfour had been elected to a three-year term on the Sayreville council in 2021. She was a mother and a soft-spoken devout Christian, according to those who knew her. Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Man found guilty in shooting death of New Jersey councilwoman
A New Jersey jury convicted Rashid Ali Bynum of murder on Monday in the gunning down of a Republican councilwoman earlier this year. The victim, Eunice Dwumfour, was serving as the first Black member of the Sayreville city council. Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Joseph Paone has set Bynum's sentencing date for Aug. 18. He faces 30 years to life in prison. Bynum was a member of Dwumfour's congregation years ago, according to Christian Onuoha, who was Dwumfour's colleague on the borough council and also a member of her church. "She was his pastor around 2018," he told Fox News Digital. "That was the last time any of us remember seeing him." Eunice Dwumfour Murder: New Jersey Police Arrest Man Months After Slaying Of Republican Councilwoman Bynum has a lengthy rap sheet, including allegations of fraud, forgery and theft stretching back to 2013, the records reveal. He faced firearms charges in Virginia in 2015 and again in Maryland in 2019. Read On The Fox News App In the 2015 case, he pleaded guilty to illegally carrying a concealed weapon, a misdemeanor, and received a sentence of three years' probation, court records show. Dwumfour's husband, Peter Akwue, also known as Eze Kings and a pastor in the church but based in Africa, told Fox News Digital last month that he did not know Bynum. Nj Councilwoman Shooting 911 Calls Reveal Eyewitness Account Of Male Suspect Wearing Black, Fleeing On Foot The 30-year-old Dwumfour was a former EMT, an IT consultant and active in her local church as well as in nonprofit groups and was on the Sayreville Borough Council's Human Relations Commission, serving at-risk communities. She won an upset election as a new candidate in November 2021 over the incumbent Democrat. Police found her riddled with gunshot wounds in her white Nissan SUV around 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2023. Bynum was originally arrested in late May in his home in Chesapeake City, Virginia. He was then transferred to New Jersey. Fox News' Michael Ruiz contributed to this article source: Man found guilty in shooting death of New Jersey councilwoman
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Indianapolis Colts' DeForest Buckner on free agent additions of Charvarius Ward, Cam Bynum
Indianapolis Colts' DeForest Buckner on free agent additions of Charvarius Ward, Cam Bynum Indianapolis Colts' DT DeForest Buckner on what Charvarius Ward and Cam Bynum can add to defense. DeForest Buckner said after the season that he wanted to see the Indianapolis Colts be more active in free agency this offseason. Well, GM Chris Ballard very much was, making two splash additions by bringing in safety Cam Bynum and cornerback Charvarius Ward. "I was excited," said Buckner recently. "I feel like obviously, Mooney and Bynum they're both dynamic players, big playmakers. Bringing a lot of energy to the defense, and I think they're going to help us a lot, obviously, moving forward. And I'm excited to get to play alongside of them." Ward is just one season removed from an All-Pro performance in 2023, which included coming away with five interceptions, 17 pass breakups, and allowing a completion rate of just 54%, according to PFF. Bynum, meanwhile, also brings terrific ball production to the Colts' secondary and can make an impact in the run game as well. Beyond the individual production that both players bring to the Colts' defense, Ward and Bynum are each tailor-made fits for Lou Anarumo's defense. Ward is comfortable playing press coverage, being on an island, and matching up throughout a game with the opponent's top wide receiver. Bynum is versatile and can play all over the secondary, which will pair well with Anarumo's disguise-heavy scheme. As Buckner would describe, the Colts' usage of coverage disguises will benefit the pass rush by throwing different looks at the quarterback, which can lead to him either holding the ball longer or trying to escape the pocket. The playmaking and coverage abilities that Ward and Bynum add individually to the secondary will help the pass rush out as well. Going beyond what Ward and Bynum bring schematically to the Colts' defense, both also have playoff experience, which for Ward includes winning a Super Bowl and appearing in another. For a Colts team that hasn't been to the playoffs since 2020, there aren't many players on this team who have been to the playoffs before, and having that experience, both on and off the field, can be quite valuable.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rep. Janelle Bynum calls Republican-backed tax bill ‘trash' during town hall in Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. () — U.S. Representative Janelle Bynum (D-OR) held a town hall in Portland Tuesday night, in part to rail against the Republican-backed tax bill she voted against. The public event was open to all and focused on her pushback against the policies of President Donald Trump's administration. It was the second town hall in a 10-part series this summer, taking place across Oregon's District 5. 'Lot less trash': PPB ratchets up deflection referrals The Lewis and Clark College Agnes Flanagan Chapel in Portland hosted Rep. Bynum's self-described 'Give 'Em Hell Tour' event, representing the sixth total town hall she has helmed since joining Congress. Many people at the town hall expressed worry about the future, especially when it comes to potential cuts to Social Security, Medicaid and SNAP benefits, all targeted in the piece of legislation. The , which Bynum called 'trash' at one point, recently passed the Republican-controlled House of Representatives by a razor-thin margin. Nicknamed by its supporters as the 'big, beautiful bill,' it includes huge spending reductions, stricter requirements for federal aid programs, and increased border funding, among other things. The 1,000-page document also slashes billions from SNAP or food stamps. The bill is now headed to the U.S. Senate. Pokémon cards worth $1K+ stolen from game store Bynum has joined in condemning the bill. On Tuesday night, she emphasized that she voted 'no' during the reading of the bill, which went late into the overnight hours, in Washington D.C. last week. 'One of the reasons we're having these townhalls is to raise awareness and put public pressure on my Republican counterparts to not cut things that are so precious and important to Americans,' Bynum said. Bynum's constituents expressed similar disdain for the proposed law. However, others at the town hall also criticized the lawmaker for other issues, such as her stance on the Israel-Gaza war. At one point during the proceedings, a couple of people heckled Bynum for what they said was in protest of the congresswoman allegedly accepting funds from pro-Israeli groups. However, emcees at the event quickly shut down the commotion. One woman asked why Bynum voted 'yes' on the Laken Riley Act, a law aimed at cracking down on immigrants charged with certain crimes. 'What are you doing to make up for this shameful vote, protect immigrants, and protect due process?' the woman asked. Bynum will be in Albany next week, the third stop in her 'Give 'Em Hell Tour.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
