Stalker killed his workmate when she caught him at her flat on lunch break

Carolyn Byington had no idea obsessed Kenneth Saal had copied her door key and was visiting her home to set up secret cameras

- GAIL SHORTLAND

Carolyn Byington had a quiet nature but led an adventurous life, combining her love of learning and travel by studying international affairs, anthropology and sociology in Japan and Germany. And when she finally settled in Plainsboro, New Jersey, she stayed in touch with the friends she’d made around the world.

Carolyn was also an avid local charity volunteer who loved to plan holidays for her family and set annual self-improvement goals.

By 2019, she had been working as a market research project manager at a company called Engine US, in Princeton, for three years.

On June 10, the 26-year-old told colleagues she was heading back to her apartment during her lunch hour. She didn’t tend to go home on her break – but what was even more unlike her was that hardworking Carolyn did not return later that afternoon.

As the hours passed, concern grew. Co-workers then noticed another member of the team was late back from lunch, too – Kenneth Saal, who worked in accounts.

The 30-year-old was married and had a newborn baby. He eventually texted his supervisor to ask if they could push back a scheduled meeting as he was running late while getting his car repaired.

Saal eventually turned up but Carolyn didn’t. At around 6pm, her co-workers called the police and asked them to do a welfare check at her home, to make sure she was safe.

When officers entered Carolyn’s apartment, they found her body. She had suffered blunt force trauma from beating and been stabbed. Someone had attacked and killed Carolyn in her home during her lunch hour. But there was no forced entry and nothing had been stolen.