New Details As Co-Worker Charged In NJ Woman's Lunch-Break Murder

PLAINSBORO TOWNSHIP, NJ — A man accused of murdering his co-worker by stabbing her with an unknown object during her lunch break was arrested after his DNA was found near her fingernails, court documents reveal.

Kenneth C. Saal, 30 of Lindenwold was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the June death of 26-year-old Carolyn Byington, of Plainsboro, this week, authorities announced. He was arrested at his home on Wednesday after a DNA lab conducted testing on numerous people as part of the investigation.

On Aug. 19, the lab that conducted the testing told the prosecutor’s office that Saal “couldn’t be excluded as a match for Y-STR DNA” that was found under Byington’s fingernails, according to a copy of the complaint provided by the Middlesex County Court.

Additionally, a car that matched the vehicle belonging to Saal was seen in the Plainsboro area at 2:04 p.m. that day, according to the complaint. Neighbors previously told News 12 they heard screams coming from Byington’s home at about 1 p.m.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office has not provided a motive in the case.

Court documents also said Saal and Byington had taken their lunch break at the same time on the afternoon of June 10. Saal, a staff accountant at US Engine in Princeton, told detectives he had only seen Byington, who was a project manager, once that day.

Police also claimed that Saal was actually on an extended lunch break, although he later was unable or unwilling to tell investigators how he spent his lunch break that day, authorities said in the complaint.

A text message he sent to his supervisor stating that he would be late returning to work because he was getting work done on his car later turned out to be a lie, authorities said.

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.

Co-workers said they saw cuts on Saal's knuckles and hands in the days immediately after Byington died, according to authorities. His demeanor had also changed, and he asked a co-worker if he could be arrested on circumstantial evidence alone.

See related: Basking Ridge Native Killed By Co-Worker On Lunch Break: Cops

It was her co-workers who had requested a wellness check when Byington never returned from the lunch break, according to court documents.

Plainsboro police responded to Byington's home at about 5:57 p.m. at which time they found her body in her apartment, authorities said. She was pronounced dead at 7:36 p.m.

Sources previously told NJ Advance Media that Byington’s attacker was already in her home when she arrived. They also said Byington typically didn’t go home for lunch.

“Engine is in mourning over this shocking, senseless tragedy,” a representative from US Engine previously told Patch. “Carolyn was deeply cared about by her colleagues. We extend our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to her family and friends.”

US Engine is cooperating with detectives in the investigation of this murder that caught residents by surprise.

“We have friends, we have young children. It’s not something that happens very often in this area, so of course it’s very, very sad,” one Plainsboro resident told NBC 4 in the days after the alleged murder.

Anyone with information that can help in this ongoing investigation 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.