Dec. 1 (UPI) — A New Jersey man accused of killing his brother’s family before setting their mansion ablaze pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder Friday.
Paul Caneiro, 51, agreed to remain in jail until his trial on the charges, which also include possession of a firearm and knife for unlawful purposes and two counts of aggravated arson.
“When an individual is charged with four counts of murder, the likelihood of him being released from detention is pretty close to zero,” his lawyer, Robert A. Honecker Jr., told reporters when asked why his client waived his right to a hearing to be released.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said Paul Caneiro killed his brother Keith Caniero, 50, sister-in-law, Jennifer Caneiro, 45, and their two children over a business dispute and set both their houses on fire to make it appear as if someone else committed the crimes.
Authorities said the suspect shot his brother to death, shot and stabbed his sister-in-law and stabbed the children, Jesse, 11, and Sophia, 8, before the Nov. 20 Colts Neck fire. Paul Caneiro also allegedly set his own Ocean Township home on fire while his wife and daughters were inside.
Paul Caneiro has been in jail since Nov. 21 based on the aggravated arson charge.
After the initial charge was filed, his attorney, Robert Honecker Jr., said Paul Caneiro is innocent and “will be exonerated when the case is finally resolved.”
Gramiccioni said Thursday a business the Caneiro brothers ran together, Square One, had financial problems recently. He said authorities were launching a financial investigation into the business.
“We recovered a great deal of evidence, and that evidence is being analyzed as we speak here today,” he said.
