FREEHOLD – An Ocean Township man recently charged with arson for the fire set at his Ocean Township home on Nov. 20 has now been charged with the murder of his brother’s family at their home in Colts Neck Township, police stated.
Paul Caneiro, 51, of Ocean Township was charged Thursday morning on four counts of murder following the deaths of his brother Keith Caneiro, Jennifer Caneiro, and the couple’s two children. Caneiro was also charged with possession of a firearm and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, court records show.
Caneiro is scheduled for a first appearance and detention review hearing on that charge Nov. 30 before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge James J. McGann. A first appearance and detention hearing on the new murder, aggravated arson and weapons charges is scheduled for Dec. 4 before Judge McGann.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office held a press conference 11 a.m. Thursday to update the public the charges.
““We allege Paul Caneiro repeatedly shot and killed his brother Keith, then moved on to murder the rest of the Caneiro family. Keith Caneiro was shot multiple times, Jennifer Caneiro was shot and stabbed, and the two Caneiro children were stabbed multiple times with a knife. After murdering his brother’s family, Paul Caneiro set fire to the Colts Neck house at 15 Willow Brook Road in an effort to conceal or disguise his crimes,” Gramiccioni said.
Keith Caneiro and his family were found dead on Nov. 20 when authorities responded to their Colts Neck residence on reports of a fire.
Initial reports stated that Paul Caneiro set his own home ablaze at 27 Tilton Drive in Ocean Township with his wife and children still inside. The family escaped the blaze unharmed, police said.
Following the fire in Ocean Township, police responded to the fire at the Caneiro’s Colts Neck residence where they discovered Keith Caneiro dead of a gunshot wound outside the home. His wife and children were discovered dead inside the home, severely burned, police reported.
On Nov. 21, Caneiro was arrested on an aggravated arson charge for the fire at his house, where his own family was but managed to escape. He remains in jail until his court appearance, scheduled for Nov. 30.
If convicted, Caneiro faces a life sentence on the murder charges, and additional time for the other crimes.
In a Nov. 21 press conference, Prosecutor Christopher Grammicioni stated that the Caneiro brothers were business partners, working together at their tech company in Asbury Park.
While Gramiccioni alleged that the Caneiro family was “targeted.” He couldn’t comment too much other than saying financial interests played a part, and an investigation into the brothers’ financial affairs would be launched.
Anyone with information about the Colts Neck murders and arson is asked to call Detective
Patrick Petruzziello of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 800-533-7443 or Detective Richard Zarrillo of the Colts Neck Police Department at 732-780-7323.
Anyone with information about the Ocean Township arson is urged to call Detective Brian
Weisbrot of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-800-533-7443 or Detective Christopher Brady of the Ocean Township Police Department at 732-531-1428.
Jennifer Peacock contributed to this report.
