NJ - Multiple Deaths in Mansion Fire, Monmouth County, Colts Neck, 20 Nov 2018 *Arrest*

[borndem]

I can't imagine an affluent neighborhood with no hydrants. That's crazy.

Just getting into this one ...
No hydrants, imagine -- did the house have sprinklers? If so, either they didn't work, the fire was too immense, or the sprinklers were disabled. Or did the mansion did not have them? If not, why not? I can't imagine that a house as fine as that one, probably with very fine fixtures furniture, flooring, artwork, etc., etc. wouldn't have sprinkers, but...
This is nutz.

 

[whitelilac]

In part, reminding me of the B & H Sherman murders in Toronto. I'm convinced that was a case of envy, rage, a lot of money, reputation, and more rage.

 

[otto]

Stabbing just seems really personal imo. I would think it takes a lot of gall to stab your SIL and nieces/nephews (idk if the minors are male or female).

It probably does, but desperate people do desperate things. How desperate was he?

Also, it's possible that all four victims were in the house at the start of the incident. The plan may have been to stab all four, but brother on brother might be a different a fight. Maybe he needed the gun to be sure that the father did not knock the knife out of his hand, or make a run for it?

 

[otto]

Just getting into this one ...
No hydrants, imagine -- did the house have sprinklers? If so, either they didn't work, the fire was too immense, or the sprinklers were disabled. Or did the mansion did not have them? If not, why not? I can't imagine that a house like that a house as fine as that one, probably with very fine fixtures furniture, flooring, artwork, etc., etc. wouldn't have them, but...
This is nutz.

Acreages with drilled water wells.

 

[Breezie]

They may have had keys and alarm codes to each other’s homes, to check, on the houses, when the other family was on vacation.

Even if PC and family left in one car, they would have been hungry by noon. All PC would have to do is say that he had to step out, from a restaurant, to make some phone calls, then make a quick trip over to his brother’s house instead. jmo

 

[otto]

In part, reminding me of the B & H Sherman murders in Toronto. I'm convinced that was a case of envy, rage, a lot of money, reputation, and more rage.

That's exactly what I thought too.

 

[carbuff]

I wonder how financially sound the brother's business was.

 

[otto]

They may have had keys and alarm codes to each other’s homes, to check, on the houses, when the other family was on vacation.

Even if PC and family left in one car, they would have been hungry by noon. All PC would have to do is say that he had to step out, from a restaurant, to make some phone calls, then make a quick trip over to his brother’s house instead. jmo

Wasn't the suspect described as jumpy or nervous after the fire? Maybe he was waiting for news that his brother's house was also on fire and the entire family perished.

When he didn't hear anything, maybe he drove by the house at noon?

 

[otto]

I wonder how financially sound the brother's business was.

The younger brother, who was shot, definitely seemed like the brains in all operations. I get the impression that he helped his older brother too, yet financially the older brother's house was $650k and the young brother's house was $1.8 million.

The older brother maybe thought finances should be equal even though the ideas came from his younger brother?

 

[borndem]

Victim's brother charged

Court document
Colts Neck fire: Victim's brother charged with arson

Paul Caniero Municipal Court

Was he experiencing financial problems -- did he allegedly torch his own house because he couln't make the payments for it and did it for insurance purposes? If so, why bother with his brother's family and property -- to help cover his tracks for the arson to his house, perhaps? But what about the children and his brother? Seems too harsh a crime for mere financial problems. Was he horribly depressed? Revenge against his brother for something? If so, then why involve his wife and the children?
This is just too weird for the two fires to have been a coincidence.
This is just plain odd...

 

[borndem]

Welcome to Websleuths, foolmt !!​

 

[borndem]

IMO, this crime will be rooted in greed and envy.
IMO, the murderer killed wife and children as they would have been the legatees to the estate had they survived KC. Next to spouse and children, closest next of kin are siblings...JMO.

I think there definitely needs to be a thorough audit of the business(es) and each brother and their wives. I smell a money problem, or a least a perceived money problem.

 

[Breezie]

It's probably all about the money. If the brother dies, his estate goes to his wife/family. If the brother's family dies, then the estate probably does to the surviving brother.

Is it possible the estate would be tied up for years because of the unusual
circumstances? Are there other possible heirs? He would have not been guaranteed any immediate payout but he might have been able to take immediate control of the companies. If he had been stealing from the companies or doing shady business practices, it might have been more important to him to prevent anyone from discovering this especially if he thought he might lose his family or go to prison. JMO

 

[Elainera]

Stabbing usually leaves the killer with blood on his clothes, hands, face etc. When did he kill them? Where did he clean up, change clothes? There might be blood transfer in his car if he drove home after the killing. Did someone at home see him come in with blood on him?

 

[Breezie]

I wonder how financially sound the brother's business was.

Colts Neck fire: Keith Caneiro brother Paul was first hire for fledgling tech business

From this article, KC was doing very well, although the annual sales may vary from year to year.

By the time the internet bubble was about to burst in 2001, their technology business had grown to $4.5 million in annual sales and 26 employees.

Keith Caneiro said his clients had expanded from Citibank to other banking giants, including Chase Manhattan and J.P. Morgan.

And Square One landed a contract to design and install a computer network, 41 work stations and a sales system for the American Family Immigration History Center at Ellis Island. It featured interactive stations, allowing people to research their family histories.

 

[otto]

Was he experiencing financial problems -- did he allegedly torch his own house because he couln't make the payments for it and did it for insurance purposes? If so, why bother with his brother's family and property -- to help cover his tracks for the arson to his house, perhaps? But what about the children and his brother? Seems too harsh a crime for mere financial problems. Was he horribly depressed? Revenge against his brother for something? If so, then why involve his wife and the children?
This is just too weird for the two fires to have been a coincidence.
This is just plain odd...

My guess is that he torched his own house because he wanted it to appear as though both his, and his brother's house, were torched at the same time.

Maybe the plan was that his brother's family was tragic in that the entire family perished in fire, his family was lucky - but wasn't the only real fire damage to his house in the attic?

The financial advantage is that because the brothers are business partners, insurance beneficiary for estate and businesses will be the suspect.

I would be surprised to learn that he set the second fire at noon. It makes more sense that he set the fire in the middle of the night after killing the four family members, but it smoldered for a few hours, and that messed with the suspect's timeline.

 

[otto]

Is it possible the estate would be tied up for years because of the unusual
circumstances? Are there other possible heirs? He would have not been guaranteed any immediate payout but he might have been able to take immediate control of the companies. If he had been stealing from the companies or doing shady business practices, it might have been more important to him to prevent anyone from discovering this especially if he thought he might lose his family or go to prison. JMO

The estate would be tied up, but if his name was on anything, like the business bank accounts, then he should have immediate control.

Stealing from the company, and about to be caught, is a good reason to eliminate the partner.

 

[SCH2326]

Do we know yet what evidence the police had in order to charge the brother with arson?

 

[Breezie]

Prosecutor says mansion killer not on the loose

This is another article saying that the MK is not on the loose.

 

[borndem]

WOW!! I cannot believe he's smiling! There are two children dead and his brother and his brothers wife and he's smiling?!? Really disgusting

If it is shown that he did have to do with the murders and arson at Colt's Neck, could it be that he had a break with reality? (serious question)
No matter who did these terrible things, the person was not in a normal state of reality, IMHO.

ETA -- IF he did it, could it have been for insurance money? Seems to me, he would be the next beneficiary... Just a thought.