NJ - Carolyn Byington, 26, killed inside her home, Plainsboro, 10 June 2019 *Arrest*

[DAB]

Total speculation. I think of the person who lives directly opposite her on the second floor & shares the stairs/landing. They would just walk across the landing & nothing would seem unusual.

I don’t know how her parents are able to cope.

There is a building behind hers.

 

[ilovechili]

I wondered if it could have been a neighbor. There are 896 apartments in this development. Not all of them occupied and on occasion I have seen a creepy person or two

My first thought was it had to be someone she knew who she was planning to meet, but I would think by now the police would have obtained her phone records and would have some idea who she was going to meet at lunchtime. Maybe she forgot something at home and went home to get it without telling anyone and was unfortunately met by this person. He could have knocked on her door and she let him in.

I wondered if it could have been a neighbor. There are 896 apartments in this development. Not all of them occupied and on occasion I have seen a creepy person or two

My first thought was it had to be someone she knew who she was planning to meet, but I would think by now the police would have obtained her phone records and would have some idea who she was going to meet at lunchtime. Maybe she forgot something at home and went home to get it without telling anyone and was unfortunately met by this person. He could have knocked on her door and she let him in.

I have similar thoughts. While we do not know which neighbors heard what, if they did hear something, they are probably close neighbors and yet did not call. It makes me wonder why? You could be the guilty party? When LE asks what you heard because you live nearby, you give an account of what you were home and heard...

Then, however, I go back to the fact she did not generally go home at lunch, typically anyhow.

That is a lot of apartments and I read at the site they also do short term, like even three months? It is also hard to know in a huge apartment complex who might have moved who in or let them stay there, who they have visiting, etc.

I agree, I have thought of someone simply slipping back into their own apartment...

I also have wondered if she had reason or concern to think someone had been in her apartment at times? Not unheard of either. Think of even like your local panty thief? Someone installing a camera on a young single woman? Someone letting themselves in while you are gone because you have cable and they don't? I mean there are all sorts out there these days. You might go home on an off day and time to try to catch someone if you have had suspicions?

If she was called and drawn home that way, much of this speculation does not fit but we just don't know.

We know now there is an exterior entry, is there any interior entry to these apartments as well? I don't mean the balcony but an interior hallway door?

Again, just talking out loud and speculating. Jmo.

 

[MissyMom]

I have similar thoughts. While we do not know which neighbors heard what, if they did hear something, they are probably close neighbors and yet did not call. It makes me wonder why? You could be the guilty party? When LE asks what you heard because you live nearby, you give an account of what you were home and heard...

Then, however, I go back to the fact she did not generally go home at lunch, typically anyhow.

That is a lot of apartments and I read at the site they also do short term, like even three months? It is also hard to know in a huge apartment complex who might have moved who in or let them stay there, who they have visiting, etc.

I agree, I have thought of someone simply slipping back into their own apartment...

I also have wondered if she had reason or concern to think someone had been in her apartment at times? Not unheard of either. Think of even like your local panty thief? Someone installing a camera on a young single woman? Someone letting themselves in while you are gone because you have cable and they don't? I mean there are all sorts out there these days. You might go home on an off day and time to try to catch someone if you have had suspicions?

If she was called and drawn home that way, much of this speculation does not fit but we just don't know.

We know now there is an exterior entry, is there any interior entry to these apartments as well? I don't mean the balcony but an interior hallway door?

Again, just talking out loud and speculating. Jmo.

Here is a picture of what the buildings look like. It’s not Carolyn’s building but you can get an idea. All of the apartments in a building are connected to an open breezeway. You have to walk through the breezeway to get to an apartment. The breezeway is open to the front and the back of the building. Every apartment has a front door and a door off their balcony or patio. And yes, the development also offers short term leases. As I mentioned previously, it’s a very transient area.

 

[epiphany]

Here is a picture of what the buildings look like. It’s not Carolyn’s building but you can get an idea. All of the apartments in a building are connected to an open breezeway. You have to walk through the breezeway to get to an apartment. The breezeway is open to the front and the back of the building. Every apartment has a front door and a door off their balcony or patio.

In browsing through the complex's site, I did not notice any reference to what type of security they have. Are there any type of "security" employees who may drive around observing or "patrolling" the grounds?

Other than probably having cameras in the parking and pool areas, are there cameras within the outside of each buildings/on the floors?

 

[DAB]

Missy Mom, I uploaded one photo a few days ago but since then I am told the size is too large. Did you have problems uploading your photo?

Is it 6 doors in the breezeway? Two downstairs & 4 upstairs?

 

[ilovechili]

Here is a picture of what the buildings look like. It’s not Carolyn’s building but you can get an idea. All of the apartments in a building are connected to an open breezeway. You have to walk through the breezeway to get to an apartment. The breezeway is open to the front and the back of the building. Every apartment has a front door and a door off their balcony or patio. And yes, the development also offers short term leases. As I mentioned previously, it’s a very transient area.

Thank you yet again. So no interior hallway doors is how I take that. I also would like to know how many apartments per building? Two down, four up? Four down, four up? I bet you did not expect all of these questions I appreciate the time you take to answer them.

 

[MissyMom]

In browsing through the complex's site, I did not notice any reference to what type of security they have. Are there any type of "security" employees who may drive around observing or "patrolling" the grounds?

Other than probably having cameras in the parking and pool areas, are there cameras within the outside of each buildings/on the floors?

There are no security cameras that I know of. At the entrance to the development there is a four way traffic light. There is a red light camera at that traffic light but that’s a distance from her building and I don’t know if it’s still operable.

There are no security employees. The maintenance men drive around in golf carts. The police station is only a couple blocks from the development and every now and then the police would drive through the development.

 

[MissyMom]

Thank you yet again. So no interior hallway doors is how I take that. I also would like to know how many apartments per building? Two down, four up? Four down, four up? I bet you did not expect all of these questions I appreciate the time you take to answer them.

I live in a two bedroom and there are eight apartments total. Carolyn lived in a one bedroom apartment. In her building there are a total of 16 apartments. However, all 16 apartments do not share the same breezeway. There are eight on one side that share a breezeway and eight on the other side that share a breezeway but all 16 are under the same roof. If I have a chance this weekend I will try to take a picture.

 

[MissyMom]

Missy Mom, I uploaded one photo a few days ago but since then I am told the size is too large. Did you have problems uploading your photo?

Is it 6 doors in the breezeway? Two downstairs & 4 upstairs?

I actually just googled a picture and had no problem uploading it. No it’s 8 apartments per breezeway.

 

[epiphany]

There are no security cameras that I know of. At the entrance to the development there is a four way traffic light. There is a red light camera at that traffic light but that’s a distance from her building and I don’t know if it’s still operable.

There are no security employees. The maintenance men drive around in golf carts. The police station is only a couple blocks from the development and every now and then the police would drive through the development.

Has management privately emailed lease-holding residents regarding safety concerns since this incident?

Unless they want more empty apartments, esp of young, single professional females starting out and of female students, I would think they ought to.

 

[MsArk]

Maybe I’m just being optimistic but surely the complex has plenty of cameras on property. I’m leaning toward someone known to Carolyn because LE is not releasing a camera screenshot, asking for identification from the public. Hoping for an arrest soon. She seemed like a smart and lovely young lady.

 

[MissyMom]

No cameras except possibly by the leasing office but that’s it.

 

[MissyMom]

This video may help you get a better idea of the building. Plainsboro police seek suspect in slaying of 26-year-old woman inside home

 

[MissyMom]

Has management privately emailed lease-holding residents regarding safety concerns since this incident?

Unless they want more empty apartments, esp of young, single professional females starting out and of female students, I would think they ought to.

Here’s the letter the management company sent to the residents.

 

[epiphany]

Here’s the letter the management company sent to the residents.

Thank you for your replies.

If emergency repair work or emergency entry into a leased apartment is necessary, how does the complex handle that? I would think a call identifying that it is indeed the management office calling is required for
safety reasons.

I wonder if a landline from the management office was used by a perp who had access (to the office) lured her back home.

 

[MsArk]

No cameras except possibly by the leasing office but that’s it.

WOW... that is kind of shocking to me and honestly, seems kind of negligent on their part. I’m certainly not blaming management of the complex but in this day and age, one would just kind of assume that cameras would be on property for the safety of the residents along with the possibility of theft from the property, etc

I hope management changes that ASAP.

 

[DAB]

Here’s an ABC 7 video that shows her apartment.
Neighbors heard screams coming from apartment of 26-year-old N.J. woman found dead hours later

 

[ilovechili]

I live in a two bedroom and there are eight apartments total. Carolyn lived in a one bedroom apartment. In her building there are a total of 16 apartments. However, all 16 apartments do not share the same breezeway. There are eight on one side that share a breezeway and eight on the other side that share a breezeway but all 16 are under the same roof. If I have a chance this weekend I will try to take a picture.

Again, I appreciate it. I can now picture what you mean from your descriptions I think. So then in her building, the 16 apartments are all one bedrooms I take that to mean? Front and back as for entry, eight on one side up and down and eight on the other up and down? Meaning four up and four down on each side?

 

[DianeElaine]

Here’s an ABC 7 video that shows her apartment.
Neighbors heard screams coming from apartment of 26-year-old N.J. woman found dead hours later

When the video shows her front door, I noticed a lack of “dusting powder” — like what I expect the police to use for dusting for fingerprints in the area around the doorknob.

 

[nyc2015]

MissyMom- thank you again for bringing all of the information you have as a resident. I can't imagine how unnerving living there right now is for you and your neighbors. I also wonder if perhaps it was a neighbor..especially since it is rather transient and seems they offer short term- even 3 month leases. And my mind goes to a Maintenance worker. I had one enter my apartment unknowingly and something was missing years ago from my apt. building. I also think of the missing girl, Jennifer from the Florida apartment complex years ago where they expect a worker.

I so hear you with being angry with her neighbors for not calling police when they heard screams - as they knew she lived alone and wasn't it alarming for them to hear screams in the middle of the day from her apartment? Reviews said you could hear almost everything due to thin walls. Truly unreal. They probably feel terrible (assuming they aren't suspects) but still. I wish she had a neighbor like you below/next to her.

She sure lived an incredible, full life in such a short number of years. I pray her parents have more and more strength each day.

Stay safe, MissyMom... May you residents get some answers from police/Management soon.