'Please God help me': Family of slain Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour wants justice

SAYREVILLE – The family of slain Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour wants justice and answers.

For the first time since the Feb. 1 killing, the family spoke out about the case which drew national attention in a press conference Wednesday at Sayreville Borough Hall.

John Wisniewski, the former state legislator representing the family, said the Dwumfour family has one goal – the "evil person who committed this heinous crime is quickly discovered, arrested and held accountable. "

"They want justice for Eunice," he said.

Seven weeks after Dwumfour was killed, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office has not made an arrest or released many details about the investigation.

"The Eunice Dwumfour investigation is ongoing," the Prosecutor's Office said in an email Wednesday. "The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office will continue to seek justice for Ms. Dwumfour, in a responsible manner that balances the needs of the grieving family, and to protect the integrity of our investigation."

More:Eunice Dwumfour was killed in Sayreville weeks ago. Why have authorities remained quiet?

But the Dwumfor family wants answers.

"The only thing I want to say is I need justice for my daughter because my daughter is very nice to everyone," said Eunice's mother, Mary Dwumfour, who broke down in tears. "I need justice for my daughter. Please God help me."

Wisniewski said it's the family's wish that the borough's first Black elected official be remembered for her work as a councilwoman, not as a homicide victim.

"Sadly that's not the case because of a brutal murder by a cowardly assailant who had reasons only known to him and God," he said. "We know that there is someone out there who knows what they've done in taking a sister away from her brother, a daughter away from her parents and most tragically a mother away from her daughter."

Eunice's father, Prince Dwumfour, said his daughter was a "very, very good lady."

"Eunice is our everything," he said.

Her grandfather said Eunice's daughter, Nicole, 12, was at home when the shooting occurred.

When she heard the news, she started to scream and then she cried, he said.

Karl Badu, pastor to the Dwumfour family and who knew Eunice since she was a child in the youth ministry, said

Nicole, is a "lovely, beautiful, awesome young girl."

He said it hasn't been easy, but she's trying to make sense of the whole mess."

Nicole has received a great support and is doing well, considering the circumstances, he said.

Wisniewski said the family didn't come forward sooner because they needed time to grieve, understand and accept the enormity of what happened.

But they still want answers about who wanted to kill Dwumfour and what the motive was.

The family at their request met with investigators in early March, but they did not share details of the probe or if they were any solid leads because that may impact the investigation, Wisniewski said.

"And the family respects that," he said, adding that it is still frustrating for them.

The family said the Prosecutor's Office never reached out to them until they asked for the meeting.

When the family did meet with prosecutors, they were very blunt, Wisniewski said.

"They were very forthright," he said. "They said we really can't give you any details. And so we don't know. But that's not to say that they don't know."

Wisniewski said it's imperative that people refrain from speculation so the investigation can play out.He said there are multiple surveillance cameras in the area of the killing, so there is likely a lot video to be examined. He said authorities have to look at every scrap of evidence to see if there are any connections.

Dwumfour was found dead in her vehicle with several gunshot wounds by Sayreville police officers who went to Samuel Circle off Ernston Road in the Parlin section after receiving 911 calls of gunshots fired.

One caller reported that he saw a man dressed all in back "shooting into the driver's side of a white vehicle" the night Dwumfour was killed, then fleeing the scene on foot, according to a 911 call obtained by MyCentralJersey.com.

Also in attendance at the press conference were Peter Ezechukwu, Eunice's husband, who was in Nigeria at the time of the killing, Eunice's brother, Samuel Dwumfour, and her uncles, Foster Dickson and Alex Bonsu.

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Eunice Dwumfour: Slain Sayreville councilwoman's family wants justice