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The brother of a Colts Neck man found dead along with his wife and two children at their burned out home just days before Thanksgiving has been charged with their murders and setting fire to their suburban home, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced via a written news statement.

Paul J. Caneiro, 51, is charged with four counts of first degree murder, one count of second degree aggravated arson, the second degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose charge and third degree possession of a knife for an unlawful purpose in connection with the slaying of his brother Keith Caneiro, 50, his sister-in-law Jennifer, 45, nephew Jesse, 11, and 8-year-old niece Sophia on Nov. 20, 2018, officials said.

Caneiro was charged last week, with purposely setting fire to his Ocean Township home that same morning while his wife and two daughters slept. He also is charged with one count of second degree aggravated arson in connection with the fire at his Tinton Avenue residence.

“We allege Paul Caneiro repeatedly shot and killed his brother Keith, then moved on to murder the rest of the Caneiro family,” Gramiccioni said. “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.”

Caneiro was served with the charges Thursday morning at Monmouth Jail in Freehold, where he is being detained for the aggravated arson charges. He is scheduled to make a first appearance and detention review hearing Friday 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 Tuesday before the same judge, officials said.

A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Colts Neck and Ocean Township police departments has expanded to include the Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI], Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms [ATF], New Jersey State Police, New Jersey Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, and Monmouth County Fire Marshal’s Office, officials said.

Thus far the investigation has revealed Caneiro’s motive for the crimes were financial in nature and stem from his joint Asbury Park business ventures with his brother Keith Caneiro, Gramiccioni said during a Thursday press conference.

Anyone with information about the Colts Neck murders and arson is being asked to call Det Patrick Petruzziello of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-800-533-7443 or Det Richard Zarrillo of the Colts Neck Police Department at 732-780-7323.

Those with information pertaining to the Ocean Township arson can call Det Brian Weisbrot of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-800-533-7443 or Det Christopher Brady of the Ocean Township Police Department at 732-531-1428.

If convicted of murder, Caneiro faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for each count, subject to the provisions of the ‘No Early Release Act,’ which requires 85 percent of the sentence be served before being eligible for release on parole. He would also be under parole supervision for five years following his release.

If convicted of aggravated arson charge, Caneiro faces a sentence of five to ten years in prison, subject to the NERA provisions. If convicted of possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, Caneiro faces a sentence of five to ten years in prison, and an additional sentence of three to five years in prison on the charge of possession of a knife for an unlawful purpose.

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Christopher J. Decker, Director of the Office’s Major Crimes Bureau, and Assistant Prosecutor Nicole Wallace.

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