NJ Man Murdered Brother, Sister-In-Law, Niece, Nephew, Jury Finds

COLTS NECK, NJ — A Monmouth County man has been found guilty on all counts of killing his brother and his brother’s family, seven years after their bodies were found in their Colts Neck home after he set fire to it.

Paul Caneiro, 59, was convicted Friday on all counts, including four counts of murder for the slayings of Keith and Jennifer Caneiro, and their children, Jesse and Sophia.

The trial before Judge Marc C. Lemieux began with jury selection on Jan. 5, after years of motions and hearings on the evidence in the case. Closing arguments were held Thursday, and the jury began its deliberations on Friday morning.

The jury notified Lemieux at 1:57 p.m. that it had reached a verdict, the judge said.

Lemieux then read through each count, asking the jury foreman for the verdict on each one. On the four murders, the jury was asked to decide if they had been committed because Paul Caneiro expected financial gain from them, and whether they were an effort to cover up criminal activity.

As the foreman said “Guilty” on the first count, for Keith’s murder, the courtroom was quiet.

When the verdicts were read for the murders of Jennifer, Jesse and Sophia, people around Jennifer Caneiro’s mother were seen consoling her; others with the family were heard gasping as the verdicts for the children were read, NJ.com reported.

In addition to four counts of murder, Caneiro was convicted on two counts of felony murder; two counts of aggravated arson for the fires at Keith’s home and his own home in Ocean Township; along with theft, misapplication of entrusted property, possession of a knife for an unlawful purpose, possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose and hindering.

After ordering Paul Caneiro to be taken to the Monmouth County jail, where he will be held until sentencing scheduled for May 12, Lemieux thanked the jury for its service in the case.

“Everything that happens in that jury room — that’s the sanctity of that jury room that should be left there,” Lemieux said after a verdict was reached, urging jurors to think carefully about discussing the case.

“I can’t force you not to say anything, but I have to make sure that you understand that if, for some reason, you decided to either speak out in the media or speak out to anyone else, if you say something there that has an impact on what happened here, then I’m going to have to bring you back, and I’m going to have to question you as it relates to whatever you may or may not have said,” he continued. “I don’t say that to threaten you in any way, I just need you to understand the truth.”

Keith, Jennifer, and their children were found dead at Keith and Jennifer’s home in Colts Neck on Nov. 20, 2018, following a fire at the home.

The fire at Keith’s home was discovered a few hours after two fires started at Paul Caneiro’s home in Ocean Township. Paul Caneiro, his wife, Susan, and their two daughters all escaped uninjured.

When authorities arrived at Keith Caneiro’s home, they found him shot to death on the front lawn.

"This family was targeted. All four of them were victims of homicidal violence before the fire was set at their home," Christopher Gramiccioni, who was the Monmouth County Prosecutor at the time, previously said. "Sadly, each of these individuals were the victims of homicidal violence at some point prior to when the fire was set at 15 Willow Brook. This is one of the most heinous cases we've ever investigated or seen."

A day after the fire broke out at Keith Caneiro’s home, Paul Caneiro was arrested and accused of setting his own home on fire.

He was then charged with four counts of first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree felony murder, in connection with the deaths of his brother and his brother’s family.

In July 2019, he was also indicted on a charge of insurance fraud, as prosecutors said Caneiro stole $78,000 from his and Keith’s businesses over the course of two years.

Prosecutors said Paul Caneiro killed Keith, Jennifer and the children in part because of the theft from the business. They also alleged Paul stood to inherit half of a $3 million life insurance policy that was only payable if Keith’s entire family died.

The defense tried to point suspicion at the third brother, Corey, repeatedly during the trial, but the jury apparently rejected that in its guilty verdict.

“Our system of justice, if you remember what I said in the beginning, fails without people like yourselves for taking the time to sacrifice your time so that our system of justice can have jurors come in and render decisions on cases like this,” Lemieux told the jurors Friday afternoon.

“So the fact that you did that, and all of you did it with such professionalism, with dedication. I watched you each and every day…You all paid attention, you very much were focused on the task at hand,” he continued. “I commend all of you for what you’ve accomplished here, which is to render a decision as to this difficult case.”

Sentencing for Paul Caneiro has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 8:30 a.m., where he could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Previous Coverage

• 8-Year-Old Niece’s Blood Found On Jeans Of Man Charged In Family’s Killing, Report Says
• NJ Man Accused Of Killing Brother’s Family, Torching Mansion, Stands Trial
• Judge Rules On Caneiro Release In Colts Neck Slayings, Trial Date Set
• DNA Evidence Hearing In Colts Neck Family Murders Case Begins: Report
• Accused Colts Neck Killer Now Charged With Insurance Fraud
• The Colts Neck Quadruple Murder: A Timeline Of Events
• Colts Neck Fire Was Quadruple Homicide, Family 'Targeted:' MCPO
• Brother's Lawyer In Colts Neck Murders: 'He's Devastated'
• 20 Stunning New Allegations In Colts Neck Caneiro Murder Case