Sayreville’s Mayor Victoria Kilpatrick has said she won’t be seeking reelection over safety concerns, after the killing of Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour in February.
Dwumfour was found shot to death in her SUV on February 1st. No arrests have been made and investigators have not announced any potential suspects, as the investigation continues.
At an April 10th Council Meeting, Kilpatrick said she has grown increasingly concerned over her and her family’s safety since Dwumfor’s killing, adding she has received numerous emails and letters “bordering on threatening.”
“I’ve received some of the most vicious, nastiest language that I have ever even could consider being spewed out of a human being,” Kilpatrick said. “They’ve been sent to me privately, they were posted on social media publicly referencing how fat I am, how disgusting I am and all kinds of things.”
One letter sent to the Mayor was so bad, she said it was turned over to police in an attempt to find the person who sent it.
“I never saw the letter. I had it read to me and I feel horrible for the chief to have to read,” Kilpatrick said. “I’m pretty tough cookie but when something like that comes at you as a mother you step back and pause.”
“10 years since I served as a council person,” she said through tears at the public meeting. “I put my heart and soul into every decision I had to make.”
Kilpatrick said she had a family meeting discussing her fate in government. She said ultimately it was her children whose fears over the recent turn of events convinced her not to run again.
“They sat me down, like they’re the parent, and they said ‘Mommy, we don’t want you to do this anymore,'” she said. “It’s a hard decision for me because I believe so passionately in this town.”
“Sometimes I good leader knows when its time to step down,” she said through tears.
Former longtime state legislator and attorney for the Dwumfour family John Wisniewski appeared on the NJ Morning Show last month to talk about the investigation into Dwumfour’s death. He said while the family has been able to meet with investigators and prosecutors, they were given very little information.
“They were given assurances that the team led by the prosecutors office is doing everything they can to find out the circumstances behind, and ultimately find who is responsible for Eunice’s murder,” he said. “That being said- they were also very circumspect and close to the vest in any details. They would not provide the family with any instances of whether or not they had someone in mind or had a motive in mind.”
According to reports, since the initial meeting with prosecutors, the Dwumfour family has not received further information or communication regarding the investigation.
