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

[ilovechili]

Is her apt still a crime scene? Her neighbors hopefully know that she was murdered. Right?

I think it was let go as a crime scene fairly quickly if I recall. I think MissyMom saw her dad loading Carolyn's things one day in the days after. I am therefore sure it is no longer a crime scene. I suppose they could go back in if necessary but others have now been in there.

Jmo.

 

[cherrymeg]

I think it was let go as a crime scene fairly quickly if I recall. I think MissyMom saw her dad loading Carolyn's things one day in the days after. I am therefore sure it is no longer a crime scene. I suppose they could go back in if necessary but others have now been in there.

Jmo.

If a murder happens in an apt do they have to tell potential tenants about it?

 

[DMA19]

That's a great question. I don't think they do. I was apartment hunting with my GF a few years ago and found a nice apartment in Bordentown and we stopped and spoke to a resident we saw taking out her trash to get an idea of the complex and area and she told us there was a murder in one of the other places we were looking at. Definitely didn't get that information from the leasing agency and it would make the difficult job of renting an apartment even harder if that was made public to a potential leasee. I can't imagine anyone having the option for 4 different apartments and choosing the one someone was murdered in a month ago over the loft by the pool.

 

[DAB]

Is her apt still a crime scene? Her neighbors hopefully know that she was murdered. Right?

Her apartment looks like any other from the outside. You would not know that a murder had taken place. That was true even a few days after the murder.

 

[cherrymeg]

Her apartment looks like any other from the outside. You would not know that a murder had taken place. That was true even a few days after the murder.

That seems like a short period of time. I didn't expect crime scene tape still there. What if something was missed?

 

[ilovechili]

If a murder happens in an apt do they have to tell potential tenants about it?

Just going by this case, it sure does not seem like it is required to even tell other tenants that reside in the complex. I have heard in some states and places with a house being sold they are supposed to disclose that, if a murder took place. I never actually knew that either.

Jmo.

 

[cherrymeg]

Just going by this case, it sure does not seem like it is required to even tell other tenants that reside in the complex. I have heard in some states and places with a house being sold they are supposed to disclose that, if a murder took place. I never actually knew that either.

Jmo.

I heard about the disclosure when selling a house. You would think a murdered resident would warrant an email. Are they ready to rent her apt or getting it ready? Hopefully before it's cleaned out they get all forensic evidence.

 

[cherrymeg]

Does it seem like this case is still being investigated?

 

[borndem]

Good thoughtful post, @Vanillacone!

And this, too --

Welcome to Websleuths,
Vanillacone !!​

 

[borndem]

Plainsboro police seek suspect in slaying of 26-year-old woman inside home

In live video report at link above ( begin .28 /1:31), reporter films several "packages in her name" outside her apartment door.

Hmmm... was CB summoned home for a delivery?

Plainsboro police seek suspect in slaying of 26-year-old woman inside home

bbm
I've never had a call to come home and pick up/sign for delivery -- not USPS, not UPS, and not FedEx -- I have gotten an email --don't know about the rest of the deliverers.
Seeing those packages in front of her (?) door really gave me the creeps. If this is the MO, we may see it happen again, or it already may have happened. Again, creepy.

Has LE checked out this possibility? They wouldn't tell us if they did at this point, IMO.
Creepy.

 

[borndem]

No there are not. It’s the second floor in the front of the building. Carolyn’s apartment is in the back. There is no walkway in the back. Also, to give you some perspective, I can see Carolyn’s building from my parking lot. I saw the news12 truck there on Wednesday the 12th. The same day they released the video. The police would not leave her packages sitting by the front door two days after she was killed.

Also, the first shot in the video is the back of the building showing Carolyn’s apartment. You can see there are no walkways in the back. The packages are at the apartment door in the front of the building. You can see the walkway leading to the parking lot in the front.

Just thanking you for your generous detective work for all of us here, @MissyMom! Your details are very informative and keep us in sync and better informed. Locals, as we all agree, I'm sure, are so very valuable.

 

[borndem]

Welcome to Websleuths,
Elephant Shrew !!​

 

[borndem]

I have been hesitant to post this because I have no idea who is lurking and reading the posts. It’s probably nothing, but I called the detective a little over a week ago because something was nagging at me. I want to say again, its probably nothing but I felt it was better to say something than not to say anything at all.

As I previously mentioned, I often walked my dog near Carolyn’s apartment when the weather was nice. I’d typically take the same route. Well, the Thursday before Carolyn was killed I was walking my dog around 5:00 PM. As I was heading back towards my apartment a black Range Rover came driving through and turned into Carolyn’s parking lot. I only noticed it because it was a Range Rover and you don’t see too many of them in the parking lots here and I never saw one in Carolyn’s lot before. Im probably more observant than others because I am out walking my dog frequently. I kept walking to my apartment and when I looked back the driver did not get out of his car. The next day I was walking my dog around the same time and the Range Rover came driving through again. This time he pulled into the parking lot next to Carolyn’s lot. I didn’t see him get out and I continued walking to my apartment. Fast forward to the Friday after Carolyn was killed. I was walking my dog around 2:00 PM and parked next to Carolyn’s car was the black Range Rover. (This is why I asked previously if a murderer would return to the scene of a crime). For some reason it shook me and I made note of the license plate in my head. I walked home and when I got inside my phone was ringing and I forgot to write down the license plate number. Again, it’s probably nothing. It could have been someone dropping someone off at her building or picking someone up, but I have never seen that Range Rover again. The detective asked me a lot of questions, but I really wasn’t able to give a description because I only saw a profile the first day. Since then, I check every day for the RangeRover but it hasn’t been back since.

I also think the police should be talking to people who walk their dogs. The average person here goes from their apartment to their car and back to their apartment whereas people who walk their dogs are out and about and tend to see more.

You are indeed a wonder, MissyMom! I am amazed and proud of what you did, and then I am mystified and disappointed by the reaction, or lack thereof, of LE.
I know I would be at least a little angry and certainly curious about not having received at least a follow-up call or indeed a visit from LE to show how I walked my dog around that area. Maybe LE is closer to an arrest than we think, so maybe they don't want to raise suspicion of a possible perpetrator. Let's hope.

 

[borndem]

I have been in touch with the Plainsboro Police. I was told they were working day & night on this. I also communicated that there is a need to share whatever information they can with the community at live meetings. I also suggested they put up signs in Hunters Glen providing a picture & information on the crime & requesting help, etc. I will reach out to the mayor if there’s no reply.

Go get 'em, DAB! You are also in the thick of this thing as well.
Your observations have been valuable to all of us who are not able to see/hear what locals do, and what the "temperature" there is. And certainly the Mayor is at the center of LE power in Plainsboro and is paid by its citizens.
Carolyn, her family, friends, and the people of Plainsboro and New Jersey want and deserve justice and relief in this pain- and fear-filled situation.
Thanks for being such a good citizen.

 

[borndem]

It sounds like there is a lot of frustration with the local police? The lack of info. Never made an opinion public on if there is a threat to the public. I have no idea if this can be done but my SIL is a chief in NYC. I'm tempted to ask her if she could find out any info. I couldn't post it here but perhaps private message the residents who have already posted here often. I think you all deserve to know more on your own safety of the neighborhood, but again my idea probably won't work.

I have followed a number of cases similar to this, and I cannot think of one where police told at least nearby residents, if not more, that "there is a threat to the area at this time." Sometimes there isn't even an alert.
It's understandable, certainly, but... I would think it is because they don't want to encourage a neighborhood vigilante being formed, or locals in the area purchasing handguns, etc. Dunno. It's a tuff call.

 

[MissyMom]

Just going by this case, it sure does not seem like it is required to even tell other tenants that reside in the complex. I have heard in some states and places with a house being sold they are supposed to disclose that, if a murder took place. I never actually knew that either.

Jmo.

I think it varies from state to state.

 

[Seattle1]

Heartbreaking that there's no updates on the murder of Carolyn. I'm wondering if CB was an informant or witness working with LE.

 

[GraceRose]

"Authorities have determined the death to be a homicide.” --- “It was not an accident” -- “Killer was waiting at apartment for 26-year-old woman murdered on her lunch break, sources say”
These are statements made just a day or so after the murder… nearly 7 weeks later there is no more information than what was released early on. It seems the certainty in these statements would indicate that there is much more information than is being made public. Which is fine but I know the anxiety that this case is causing neighbors and family of young girls who are living alone in the area. Is a killer on the loose? Can LE at least give us some peace-of-mind without risking the investigation? My heart breaks for Carolyn… this beautiful young woman with so much promise could have been my daughter.

 

[epiphany]

I had the feeling early on, and still do, that IF there is a POI that individual has had an attorney and there is obvi not enough evidence yet to charge.

A murderer is on the loose, but imo it was personal and therefore the public is prob not in danger.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Actually, the previous management company did have pool parties/ barbecues but they weren’t very good.

I don’t think this management company is doing this as a PR campaign because they have held activities before Carolyn was killed. I just think it’s insensitive at this time.

As Ilovechili suggested, I have no desire to hang out at a pool party with a possible killer among the group.

Hey guys...I’m just catching up on this thread. Real life has interrupted/diminished my favorite guilty pleasure....hanging out here!

Thank you to all of our locals who have joined us here. Your perspective has been most helpful and we’re glad to have you. Having “eyes on the scene” makes a case more personal to me for some reason, so thanks for all your input. Please be careful and stay safe.

I don’t post often but Carolyn’s case has me hooked. She apparently came home for lunch and was murdered? No way....for some reason that particularly creeps me out and I’ve typed, typed and re-typed trying to explain why that is so terrifying to me but I can’t explain it. It just is to me and I am so sorry Carolyn endured what she did.

Re the above quote about the pool party being planned (????) I think that is incredibly insensitive on the management’s part and just plain tone deaf as mentioned above. If they had to have this pool party, a couple under-cover officers should have been in attendance too. But who knows, maybe there were.

I’ll keep reading along and hoping for a break in this case.