Middlesex County officials reported that a man was charged in connection with a murder-for-hire plot.
According to Middlesex County officials, in August of 2019, Kenneth Saal, 30, formerly of Lindenwold, in Camden County, was charged with murdering Carolyn Byington, 26, of Plainsboro, in her apartment when she went home for lunch.
Saal was Byington’s coworker.
According to Plainsboro Police, officers responded to Byington’s home after her other coworkers asked them to do a wellness check on her.
Police say, when officers arrived on the scene at approximately 5:57 pm, they found Byington, who was pronounced dead.
According to officials, Saal was later indicted for first-degree murder, burglary in the second-degree, endangering an injured victim, hindering one’s apprehension, burglary, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, all third-degree crimes.
The indictment also includes charges of stalking and tampering with evidence, both fourth-degree crimes.
Saal is scheduled for trial in December 2022 for the above crimes.
The Middlesex County officials received a letter on or about October 13, alleging that Saal was conspiring to commit a copycat murder to create doubt about his guilt.
An investigation by detectives determined that Saal was soliciting an inmate he believed was being released from jail in the near future to commit a murder which would exonerate Saal for $15,000.
According to detectives, Saal was charged with first-degree conspiracy to commit Murder, second-degree conspiracy to get tamper with a witness, and second-degree conspiracy to hinder his prosecution.
Saal is housed at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center and is scheduled for a detention hearing in Middlesex County Superior Court on Friday, October 28.