GUILTY NJ - Carolyn Byington, 26, killed inside her home, Plainsboro, 10 June 2019 *Arrest* #2

[zecats]

It was something that made me think of her. There are several ways he could have gained entrance. Is there a thread section on this site dedicated to victims of stalking? I think it happens more often than people realize and some victims of it might not even know that they are being stalked until something awful happens.

I haven't seen any such thread. Sadly, many stalking incidents often turn into missing and/or murdered victims.

If Carolyn was comfortable enough in her own home and apartment complex setting, and if she was unaware of him following her or whatever he was doing, then I could see her not worrying about locking the door behind her while home for lunch.

 

[cherrymeg]

I haven't seen any such thread. Sadly, many stalking incidents often turn into missing and/or murdered victims.

If Carolyn was comfortable enough in her own home and apartment complex setting, and if she was unaware of him following her or whatever he was doing, then I could see her not worrying about locking the door behind her while home for lunch.

Do you think creating a thread for stalking would be a good idea?

 

[zecats]

Do you think creating a thread for stalking would be a good idea?

Maybe. Not sure how you would get stats. Do people readily report those kinds of incidents to MSM (or does LE if reported to them)?

Or are you meaning a thread on how to deal with stalking - in general.

Probably best to ask a Mod or Tricia, is my thinking.

 

[cherrymeg]

Maybe. Not sure how you would get stats. Do people readily report those kinds of incidents to MSM (or does LE if reported to them)?

Or are you meaning a thread on how to deal with stalking - in general.

Probably best to ask a Mod or Tricia, is my thinking.

I was thinking more of thread where people could talk about it, in relation to crimes, themselves and offer safety tips. I a lot of people particularly women tend to ignore their instincts if they think they will sound crazy, hysterical or rude. The feeling of being watched or someone making you uncomfortable but not in an overt way or one that you can describe or even link to an incident, are things you might push aside and ignore, when they are warning signs.

 

[zecats]

I was thinking more of thread where people could talk about it, in relation to crimes, themselves and offer safety tips. I a lot of people particularly women tend to ignore their instincts if they think they will sound crazy, hysterical or rude. The feeling of being watched or someone making you uncomfortable but not in an overt way or one that you can describe or even link to an incident, are things you might push aside and ignore, when they are warning signs.

Look what I found:
Bullies and Stalkers

 

[cherrymeg]

Look what I found:
Bullies and Stalkers

Thanks!

 

[ZoeCruz]

Maybe. Not sure how you would get stats. Do people readily report those kinds of incidents to MSM (or does LE if reported to them)?

Or are you meaning a thread on how to deal with stalking - in general.

Probably best to ask a Mod or Tricia, is my thinking.

Another idea would be thread on missing or deceased victims of stalkers. I would suggest that it include just those who were stalked by either a stranger, someone they have one seen once semi- regularly but don't actually know (like an employee of a coffee shop, or supermarket, cable company. And certainly co-workers whom they barely know, someone they have to work with daily but are not friends with.

 

[cherrymeg]

Another idea would be thread on missing or deceased victims of stalkers. I would suggest that it include just those who were stalked by either a stranger, someone they have one seen once semi- regularly but don't actually know (like an employee of a coffee shop, or supermarket, cable company. And certainly co-workers whom they barely know, someone they have to work with daily but are not friends with.

That is a good idea!

 

[TDoc72]

I understand why they are offering it to him. All he needs is one member of the Jury think they were in a relationship and that it wasn't planned or the end of a period of stalking. Victims can end up being trashed by the defense. It could go worse for him and his family.

This is what I’m afraid his defense will be. That is was a relationship and a “crime of passion” happened. I hope he’ll eventually take the plea and then we hopefully won’t have to hear it. A plea would save her family pain, everyone’s time and the state money.

 

[ZoeCruz]

2 - He lured Carolyn home under some type of false pretenses that to her knowledge had nothing to do with him - made up an issue with her apartment, package she needed to sign for, some kind of file she needed to retrieve, etc - then followed her home or got there first.

I personally have a strong feeling that this what happened. I was also a single, attractive, working professional, living alone in an apartment in my mid-20's. I had no pets at the time. That would be only reason I would return home at lunch. So given the fact that I didn't have a pet at home - the only scenario that would have gotten me to drive home during lunch was if I'd received a call from my apartment complex, a staff member, (i was like Carolyn, kept to my self and didn't know any of my neighbors whatsoever). So I received a call from someone identifying themselves as a worker at my apt complex claiming there was an building emergency; a fire, or water flooding my unit, or an obvious break-in etc I would have definitely drove home without ever thinking twice.
So that's why I really think this is how she was lured home under false pretenses by Kenneth Saal pretending to work for the Hunter's Glen apartments.
I also live in NJ near both Carolyn's apartment complex & the Carnegie Center where she worked. It's a huge office park with tons of large to small companies. It's a congested area. I've done plenty of driving over the years and I know that mid day lunch rush traffic is a time consuming, aggravating experience. I also know people who worked in the same office park and majority of people don't go home at lunch unless it was an emergency.
I definitely think Kenneth was stalking her for some time to be so rage filled and she most likely had no idea. I don't think she had any type of association with him besides passing in the halls and doing the obligatory nod and hello to him. I don't think he was a blip in her radar for any reason besides being the guy (that every work place has) that is awkward to all and gives the young, attractive, nice, polite women the creeps but not in an overtly aggressive way. He seems like the type of guy who does not make much of an impression on anyone beside maybe annoying those who sit next to him directly.
I hope he gets life in prison without the possibility of parole. And I hope every moment in prison is sheer hell for him for the rest of his life. I hope he suffers severely at the hands of the guards and other inmates - physically, mentally, psychologically. He is not capable of remorse in my opinion and truly thinks his heinous act was what she deserved in his sick mind for whatever he perceived as Carolyn "rejecting" him.

 

[oviedo]

I believe we're back to speculating what sharp weapon KS used to inflict multiple stab wounds.

Lunch-Break Killer Stalked NJ Coworker Before Murder: Report

Sept 23, 2019

PLAINSBORO TOWNSHIP, NJ — A man accused of murdering his co-worker during her lunch break earlier this year appears to have been stalking her in the days and weeks leading up to the killing.

Detectives have obtained images via Google Earth that show 30-year-old Kenneth C. Saal, of Lindenwold, was at Carolyn Byington's apartment complex in the days before she was killed, nj.com reports. One of her neighbors also told detectives he was in the complex weeks before the murder.

An assistant prosecutor said during a pre-indictment conference on Monday that this amounts to stalking, according to the report. His attorney maintains his innocence, but didn't comment on the stalking allegations.

[...]

While Byington was at her apartment having lunch, detectives said she was stabbed several times and suffered blunt force trauma, according to court documents. Police didn't say what object was used to attack Byington. bbm

Perhaps a screwdriver? JMO

 

[borndem]

I was talking to someone yesterday about this case. I locked myself out of my apt. For some reason maintenance couldn't find the master key. If you are inside there are 3 locks outside the door there is one you use a key for. The maintenance guy was able to use a paint scraper, the way you might use a credit card to jimmy a lock, to get the door to open. You assume locking a door when you leave the house means people can't get in but it might not be that hard.

Dead bolts -- all doors. That's about the only way to be sure.

 

[ilovechili]

Been traveling. Just catching up on cases.

Carolyn's is one that I will stay with until justice results.

 

[TruthIsStranger]

[QUOTE aww="ilovechili, post: 15463454, member: 234946"]Been traveling. Just catching up on cases.

Carolyn's is one that I will stay with until justice results.[/QUOTE]

The fact that she came home for lunch regularly changes everything! No key needed. Planning ahead was possible. If her apartment door was 4 or 5 feet away from the outside of the building, there would be a corner to hide behind. The instant that she got her door open, he could have have rushed her and pushed her in quickly before she could react. Imagine the shock! He was scoping out the laundry area, so he probably planned to do wash right afterwards. Ugh!

 

[DAB]

The outside door was on the second floor, just up a flight of stairs. It also led to another apartment whose door was opposite hers. It was in a breezeway but visible to others.
There’s been mixed reporting on the frequency of her going home for lunch.

 

[TruthIsStranger]

The outside door was on the second floor, just up a flight of stairs. It also led to another apartment whose door was opposite hers. It was in a breezeway but visible to others.
There’s been mixed reporting on the frequency of her going home for lunch.

Hmmmm. So there was no way out on that second level and only one neighbor? If that neighbor was gone at lunchtime, KS could have pretended he was a maintenance guy (a little disguise, even) just leaving the neighbor's apartment and doing a bit of paperwork on the landing. Hat on, head down, he wouldn't have been recognized. Then she could have rushed over to the door as soon as she'd opened it. It's true that there are conflicting reports about lunchtime activities, but this whole scenario makes more sense if she did it regularly.

 

[scdiv]

What's unclear to me is what Carolyn's mindset was toward this guy at the time. Had he been bothering her before? Did she think he was creepy? Was she growing concerned? Was this all in his head and she really hadn't given much thought to him at all? My thought is that if I saw a coworker at my door, even a kind of weird one, I don't know that my brain would kick in to be alarmed. Like I would probably freak out more if it was a total stranger, because stranger danger and all. Unless she had felt like she was being stalked or that he posed a threat, obviously that's a different story. But if he hadn't actively been aggressive to her, she might have been startled to see him, but not completely on guard, because it's a familiar face without more time to process, wait, this is really weird and not cool that he's here.

 

[kaen]

They may have also arranged to meet under a rouse such as he, his wife and baby were thinking of moving to Hunters Glen, could he see her apartment. They worked together. She might not have been afraid of him. She could have been a little quirky and he could have been quirky--so it seemed like no big deal to show him the apartment. That is one possible scenario of a way that she would have let him in. We don't know if they had any relationship (not sexual, not intimate) that might have been casual and platonic that might have been his way of disarming her.

She was most likely not afraid of a coworker and a new father. Unfortunately........

 

[TruthIsStranger]

They may have also arranged to meet under a rouse such as he, his wife and baby were thinking of moving to Hunters Glen, could he see her apartment. They worked together. She might not have been afraid of him. She could have been a little quirky and he could have been quirky--so it seemed like no big deal to show him the apartment. That is one possible scenario of a way that she would have let him in. We don't know if they had any relationship (not sexual, not intimate) that might have been casual and platonic that might have been his way of disarming her.
Puking

They may have also arranged to meet under a rouse such as he, his wife and baby were thinking of moving to Hunters Glen, could he see her apartment. They worked together. She might not have been afraid of him. She could have been a little quirky and he could have been quirky--so it seemed like no big deal to show him the apartment. That is one possible scenario of a way that she would have let him in. We don't know if they had any relationship (not sexual, not intimate) that might have been casual and platonic that might have been his way of disarming her.

She was most likely not afraid of a coworker and a new father. Unfortunately........

She was most likely not afraid of a coworker and a new father. Unfortunately........

This sounded very plausible to me at first, but then I thought about the fact that Carolyn would probably have mentioned this to a co-worker in passing, or, if she felt weird about it, as a topic of conversation. "Hey, you know that guy in accounting--KS? He wants me to show him my apt complex at lunch." He would have been the obvious suspect, then.

Suburban apt complexes usually have so many nooks, corners, and crannies that I think it would have been easy to arrive ten minutes before her, keep an eye on the parking lot, and be nearby while she was looking for her keys. We always have our backs to an assailant when doing this. He's huge, and the moment she had the door open, he could have rushed towards her and pushed her all the way in. The shock would have kept her from screaming, I think, especially if he put his hand on her mouth.

Or, once she had the door open, he could have taken the friendly route and said, "Hey, C" as he strode quickly towards her. She would have been bewildered to see her co-worker there but by the time she said, "Hey, KS, what are you doing here?" he could have done the above-mentioned push at the last second. Who expects a smiling co-worker, even if unexpectedly at your open door, to attack you?

 

[Kittybunny]

So in the article posted above it says:
"Dolinger also said that detectives took a statement from one of Byington’s neighbors that identified Saal as being in the complex, specifically near the communal laundry room, weeks before the killing."

This makes me wonder if he was a panty/laundry thief. Just adds to the already sky-high creep factor!

And TOTALLY agree that 30 years is not enough. No way.