CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY/AP) – After an appearance in court Friday morning, 29-year-old Rashid Ali Bynum remains in the Chesapeake jail, awaiting extradition to New Jersey. Bynum is charged in the February shooting death of Eunice Dwumfour, 30, of Sayreville, N.J.
The hearing lasted less than ten minutes, with Bynum appearing alongside his public defender, Erik Mussoni. Mussoni mentioned the possibility that Bynum would fight extradition. If he does, the next step would be for a warrant, to be issued by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
An extradition hearing is currently scheduled for June 29, according to court records.
Bynum was arrested Tuesday and faces murder and two gun charges in Dwumfour’s death. The well-known and well-liked pastor had connections to Fire Congress Fellowship, which had a branch in Virginia and which authorities believe was the connection to Bynum.
In court paperwork, Bynum’s most recent address was Hornsea Road in Chesapeake, which is near Indian River Road.
Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Cicconne said law enforcement tracked Bynum’s movements around the time of Dwumfour’s death using cell phone and EZPass data. He also matched the description of the gunman given by neighbors in Sayreville, she said.
The Associated Press reports Bynum previously lived in Sayreville, which is where Dwumfour lived with her 11-year-old daughter and served on the City Council.
Dwumfour had gotten married just months before she was gunned down outside her rented townhome on Feb. 1 as she returned from the grocery store. She married a fellow pastor from her Nigerian church, Champions Royal Assembly, at its Abuja headquarters in November, but her husband had not yet joined her in the U.S.
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