A day after the family of a Sayreville councilwoman criticized the investigation into her unsolved fatal shooting, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office said it is continuing to “seek justice” for Eunice Dwumfour.
Dwumfour, a Republican councilwoman in her first term, was shot and killed outside her home last month. Investigators have not made any arrests or announced any leads or a motive in the case in seven weeks since.
The councilwoman’s relatives said in a press conference Wednesday they have not gotten any details from authorities about where the investigation into the Feb. 1 shooting stands.
“The Eunice Dwumfor (sic) investigation is ongoing,” Brynn Krause, a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, said in a statement Thursday. “The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office will continue to seek justice for Ms. Dwumfor (sic), in a responsible manner that balances the needs of the grieving family, and to protect the integrity of our investigation.”
Dwumfour’s family has hired John Wisniewski, a former members of the state Assembly, to serve as their attorney. He said Wednesday the family has “literally no idea” who killed Dwumfour, and nothing should be ruled out.
Asked about the prosecutor’s statement Thursday, Wisniewski said he understands the family “wants answers” and authorities don’t want to “jeopardize any progress they may make.”
“The family more than anybody wants to protect the integrity of the investigation — because they want to see justice done,” he said in a phone interview with NJ Advance Media. “For them, however, it’s frustrating two months later to not have any idea on where things stand.”
Dwumfour, 30, was found shot multiple times at about 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1 in the Camelot at LaMer townhome complex in the Parlin section of Sayreville, authorities said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Karl Badu, the family’s pastor, said at the press conference that he and family members had a meeting with prosecutors in early March. Winsiewski said that he requested the meeting on behalf of the Dwumfours. Officials asked family members general questions about Dwumfour, but didn’t share any information on the investigation, Badu said.
Prince Dwumfour, the councilwoman’s father, said prosecutors never asked him if he knows of any reason why someone would kill Eunice.
Lauren Bayer, a criminal defense attorney who spoke at the press conference, said that seemed like a natural question that detectives should have asked.
“One would imagine that they would be interested in that information, but without knowing how they’re approaching their investigation exactly, it’s hard to tell when those questions come and how they’re answered,” Bayer said at the press conference. “But I would say, generally, it would be a little surprising that they wouldn’t make those inquiries straight away.”
Dwumfour had just finished her first year on the Sayreville council when she was killed. She was the first Black woman in the borough’s history to serve on the council, according to officials. She also served on Sayreville’s human relations commission.
Dwumfour was active in her church, Champions Royal Assembly in Newark, where she was a pastor. She had a 12-year-old daughter and recently announced she had gotten married to Peter Ezechukwu, who was at the press conference.
“We all, the family, are demanding for justice for her,” Ezechukwu said. “And we pray that God Almighty will help us all.”
NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.
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Camille Furst may be reached at cfurst@njadvancemedia.com.
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