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

[MissyMom]

The short answer is probably 6 months or longer before the trial scheduled.

I have found that public access to New Jersey criminal court cases top my list as most difficult to obtain information.

PROMIS/Gavel Public Access for NJ Courts provides that only defendants with a case(s) for which they were convicted and sentenced in Superior Court display in search results.

Obviously this does little good for cases in progress or looking for defendants cases prior to conviction!

Depending on the County -- some courthouses have Kiosks where you can look up a docket. However, in my opinion, for whatever reason, this case has been shrouded in secrecy from the beginning -- and one with very little media coverage.

By this time in an investigation, I've usually found a reporter that's consistently been reporting on a case and that goes to the County Court often, and will share schedule dates. Not with this case....

At this time, we know the preliminary hearing was on Oct 24 where it was formally announced that the DA's office offered a plea deal to Saal. We also learned a Grand Jury would convene early November if not accepted by that time.

Last week (Nov 15) it was reported that a Grand Jury indicted Saal and there was no reporting that I'm aware of between the preliminary and the indictment!

I know this isn't what you asked but If I was local I'd probably contact the Prosecutors Office in a few months and ask if this case has been scheduled for trial yet.

They've published their phone number again in the last article saying the investigation is active and continuing.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Tim McMahon of the Plainsboro Police Department at (609) 799-2333 ext. 1627, or Detective David Abromaitis of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-4436.

Thank you for the information. I thought about contacting the reporter who attended the past hearings.

 

[MissyMom]

This came out yesterday. Pretty much the same information we already know. Accused Lunch-Break Killer Indicted In NJ Co-Worker's Death: Cops

Now that we saw the additional charges, I wonder if Carolyn was still alive when the police found her. They found her at 5:57 and was pronounced dead at 7:36 If she was dead when police found her, wouldn’t she be pronounced dead at that time?

 

[Seattle1]

This came out yesterday. Pretty much the same information we already know. Accused Lunch-Break Killer Indicted In NJ Co-Worker's Death: Cops

Now that we saw the additional charges, I wonder if Carolyn was still alive when the police found her. They found her at 5:57 and was pronounced dead at 7:36 If she was dead when police found her, wouldn’t she be pronounced dead at that time?

No -- only the coroner can pronounce her death. I suspect that's when the coroner arrived at the scene.

 

[oviedo]

No -- only the coroner can pronounce her death. I suspect that's when the coroner arrived at the scene.

Is that specific by state? our EMS/Fire Rescue can pronounce at the scene - the coroner certifies the death on the death certificate here (I'm looking at a report now with this exact situation).
JMO

 

[MissyMom]

Is that specific by state? our EMS/Fire Rescue can pronounce at the scene - the coroner certifies the death on the death certificate here (I'm looking at a report now with this exact situation).
JMO

You are correct, it varies by state. I’ll have to research who can pronounce in NJ.

 

[Seattle1]

Is that specific by state? our EMS/Fire Rescue can pronounce at the scene - the coroner certifies the death on the death certificate here (I'm looking at a report now with this exact situation).
JMO

You are correct, it varies by state. I’ll have to research who can pronounce in NJ.

Specific to suspicious deaths outside of medical environment (crime scene deaths), my brother in law coroner tells me that the most states follow that first responder (EMS/Fire Rescue) can "declare" death but coroner "pronounces" death, time of death, and assigns the cause and manner of death. (Depends on state & jurisdiction; coroner versus medical examiner, etc.).

I also understand that a year ago the state legislators passed reforms to overhaul New Jersey's Medical Examiner system-- trying to modernize it and make it more uniform.

The ME's office was operating under the State Attorney General's office and it's now under the Dept of Health. Also told that this department is worse than ever today with bodies piled up!

After reading Oct 2019 article below, I was sickened by the failures! -- Now I'm wondering if this is why news was so slow coming out, updating CB's investigation.

(Really hope no screw ups with the forensic evidence).

Reportedly, CB was found dead in her apartment by police just before 6:00 pm, and pronounced dead at 7:36 pm but no reports of who pronounced her dead. Since NJ does not have coroner, I think she was either pronounced by the ME investigator, or qualified hospital personnel.

I believe it's going to be the autopsy report that reveals CB' time of death was likely after defendant left her apartment. We know for sure she wasn't alive at 6 pm when police arrived. MOO

N.J. promised to treat its dead better. Instead, more bodies are piling up and staff is fleeing.

I'm reminded of a similar news report a couple weeks ago about a woman found dead in a car at a parking garage -- death was suspicious-- police suspected rough sex/strangulation. She was dead at scene but pronounced dead at the hospital. I'll look for the link. I think it was NJ or NY...

ETA: link

https://nypost.com/2019/11/02/woman-dies-after-night-of-rough-car-sex-outside-new-jersey-high-rise/

 

[oviedo]

Specific to suspicious deaths outside of medical environment (crime scene deaths), my brother in law coroner tells me that the most states follow that first responder (EMS/Fire Rescue) can "declare" death but coroner "pronounces" death, time of death, and assigns the cause and manner of death. (Depends on state & jurisdiction; coroner versus medical examiner, etc.).

I also understand that a year ago the state legislators passed reforms to overhaul New Jersey's Medical Examiner system-- trying to modernize it and make it more uniform.

The ME's office was operating under the State Attorney General's office and it's now under the Dept of Health. Also told that this department is worse than ever today with bodies piled up!

After reading Oct 2019 article below, I was sickened by the failures! -- Now I'm wondering if this is why news was so slow coming out, updating CB's investigation.

(Really hope no screw ups with the forensic evidence).

Reportedly, CB was found dead in her apartment by police just before 6:00 pm, and pronounced dead at 7:36 pm but no reports of who pronounced her dead. Since NJ does not have coroner, I think she was either pronounced by the ME investigator, or qualified hospital personnel.

I believe it's going to be the autopsy report that reveals CB' time of death was likely after defendant left her apartment. We know for sure she wasn't alive at 6 pm when police arrived. MOO

N.J. promised to treat its dead better. Instead, more bodies are piling up and staff is fleeing.

I'm reminded of a similar news report a couple weeks ago about a woman found dead in a car at a parking garage -- death was suspicious-- police suspected rough sex/strangulation. She was dead at scene but pronounced dead at the hospital. I'll look for the link. I think it was NJ or NY...

ETA: link

https://nypost.com/2019/11/02/woman-dies-after-night-of-rough-car-sex-outside-new-jersey-high-rise/

Well done ! I’m curious to know if she was alive when he left her - just how long ?

 

[DAB]

Well done ! I’m curious to know if she was alive when he left her - just how long ?

If only her neighbors, who heard her screams, called the police. She might have lived.

 

[zecats]

If only her neighbors, who heard her screams, called the police. She might have lived.

That seems even more true now. Such a sad sad shame. Poor Carolyn.

 

[alwaysintrigued]

EVen if they waited until the official word from the coroner, the coroner can tell if she had died 2 hours before he/she could confirm. So her time of death, in theory, would be 5:57 if she was in fact dead upon police arrival. This makes me believe she was still alive when they showed up for the wellness check.....

 

[Seattle1]

Reposting ABC/7 live broadcast from CB's apartment.

26-year-old woman found dead in New Jersey apartment

ETA: I have no doubt that LE found a deceased woman when they entered CB's apartment. However, I do think it's possibly the faint cries for help heard by neighbors were after KS left the apartment. MOO

 

[katsrfun]

Ugh. That lookalike business just creeps me out...makes me shiver (really). I would assume his wife has seen CB's picture in the media somewhere. It's probably creeping her out, too, as well as any other people who know one but not the other..
Another <shiver>. And cold chills. Ugh.

I'll bet his wife is thanking her lucky stars that she is still alive. I wonder if she would have been next. Poor girl, gone because she looked like someone else. What a freak. MOO. Katt

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Reposting ABC/7 live broadcast from CB's apartment.

26-year-old woman found dead in New Jersey apartment

ETA: I have no doubt that LE found a deceased woman when they entered CB's apartment. However, I do think it's possibly the faint cries for help heard by neighbors were after KS left the apartment. MOO

Neighbors said they heard “sounds of distress coming from her apartment”. This makes me so sad.
Most of us have run home for lunch/during our lunch break. Who would ever expect to be murdered while doing so? It’s just so uncommon......I feel so sorry that this happened to Carolyn.

 

[TDoc72]

Does anyone know how I can find out in advance when the trial is scheduled? Not sure of my schedule, but I would like to attend the trial if possible.

Lately trials have been sneaking up on me, but I hope to make it to the trial a few times as well.

 

[alwaysintrigued]

Reposting ABC/7 live broadcast from CB's apartment.

26-year-old woman found dead in New Jersey apartment

ETA: I have no doubt that LE found a deceased woman when they entered CB's apartment. However, I do think it's possibly the faint cries for help heard by neighbors were after KS left the apartment. MOO

Ahh, ok. I did not read the article myself, I was just going by what people's reactions were. And that is correct, time of death which I thought was said to be 7:36 pm, is much different than pronouncing someone dead at 7:36 pm.

 

[borndem]

Welcome to Websleuths,
alwaysintrigued !!​

 

[borndem]

I'm not sure that he worked out an alibi in advance. But if he did, he barely thought it through. When the police asked him if he took a lunch that day and where he went, he said just to a park area nearby, do some work on my car. The the police interviewer asked, "Did you EAT lunch?" and he totally froze...long deep breath...nervous sounding sigh... and not have an answer ready at all. "Uhhhh.....that's a good question."

"Honestly...I imagine I did. I...don't really know what."
"You don't remember?"
Shrug. "No..if I was over by the park, usually I'll go to the Wendy's near there, for lunch."

He did not seem prepared for that question or have any answer ready if he actually ate lunch. So it doesn't seem like he put much thought into a great alibi or timeline to account for his whereabouts.

Avalon Zoppo on Twitter

Yep, he's so smart, ya know -- I guess he wasn't expecting anyone to interrogate him. What a jerk.
That little exchange certainly moved him up a few notches on the "possible" list. SMH.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Yep, he's so smart, ya know -- I guess he wasn't expecting anyone to interrogate him. What a jerk.
That little exchange certainly moved him up a few notches on the "possible" list. SMH.

Exactly! The majority of us eat lunch during our lunch breaks.....we don’t cold-bloodedly murder a co-worker and expect to get away with it. What a dumba$$.

 

[Seattle1]

Exactly! The majority of us eat lunch during our lunch breaks.....we don’t cold-bloodedly murder a co-worker and expect to get away with it. What a dumba$$.

Exactly! At CB's age -- I clearly recall going home for lunch on a summer day and leaving the door wide open after I let my dog outside and while I grabbed a bite. Never did I expect to be stabbed to death. (Also not saying CB's door was open).

 

[borndem]

They had been working together for around 3 years. Even if you don't directly work with someone you still see them during company holiday events and team meetings. I feel like this is something that grew and festered over time. If what the anonymous caller said was true and he had fantasies about murdering his wife this could have been something that evolved out of that given how closely they resemble each other. I feel li.ke there's enough evidence here to prove he did it but I don't think the actual motive will be as easy to prove.

The motive could be as simple as showing that he had a crush on her, she didn't reciprocate, but he kept on trying. We'll never know if she had planned to have him come to her apt. that day -- very unlikely, imo -- but it's remotely possible. Maybe she looked at him or said something to him that made him think she might be interested in seeing him or going to lunch with him sometime, etc. -- in his mind only, of course -- and perhaps that's why he was at her apt. that day.

I wouldn't try to introduce the resemblance between his wife and Carolyn and his thoughts of killing his wife, at court without a lot more info & evidence -- it's too much of a stretch, IMO. But you never know...
I'd just go for the spurned co-worker who wanted to have an affair, but that's just me. This case is still in the early stage.

And if this man doesn't take a plea if one is offered, he is really an idiot and even dumber than I thought.