Prosecutor: Keith and Jennifer Caneiro were both shot in the head, Kids were stabbed, to hide theft of $78,000

UPDATE: Paul Caneiro’s attorneys issued a statement which can be found here.

Jennifer and Keith Caneiro

Keith Canerio was shot four times in the head and once in the lower back. Jennifer Caneiro was shot once in the head and stabbed multiple times in her torso. Their children, 11 year old son Jesse and eight year old Sophia were both stabbed to death.

Paul Caneiro allegedly killed his extended family members in an attempt to conceal his theft from them of $78,180, according to documents released by Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni this morning.

The gruesome murders during the early morning hours of November 20, 2018 at the Colts Neck home of Keith and Jennifer. After murdering his brother, sister-in-law, nephew and niece, and setting their home ablaze, Paul returned to his Ocean Township home at approximately 4 a.m. and prepared to burn his own house down in an apparent attempt to make it look like he was also a target of a homicidal killer.

A Monmouth County Grand Jury returned a 16 counted indictment today charging Paul Caneiro with four counts of first degree Murder, two counts of first degree Felony Murder, two counts of second degree Aggravated Arson, one count of second degree Possession of a Weapon (Firearm) for an Unlawful Purpose, one count of third degree Possession of a Weapon (Knife) for an Unlawful Purpose, one count of second degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Firearm), one count of fourth degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Knife), one count of second degree Theft, one count of second degree Misapplication of Entrusted Property and two counts of third degree Hindering Apprehension of Oneself.

The indictment alleges that Paul committed the murders in an effort to conceal his theft of $78,180 between January 1, 2017 and November 19, 2018.

Paul’s attorneys, Mitchel J. Ansell and Robert A. Honecker, Jr. have yet to respond to a request for comment.

The Affidavit of Probable Cause spells out the horrendous details and timeline of the events of November 20:

02.25.Caneiro.CN.complaints.aff
02.25Caneiro.OT.complaints.and.aff