NJ - Multiple Deaths in Mansion Fire, Monmouth County, Colts Neck, 20 Nov 2018 *Arrest* #2

[Niner]

Ah! got an article in my alerts!

https://eu.app.com/story/news/local/courts/2025/11/04/nj-high-court-hears-arguments-on-caneiro-evidence-seized-during-fire/86990940007/

Nov. 4, 2025

Story Summary

• The New Jersey Supreme Court is deciding whether to allow a home-security DVR as evidence in Paul Caneiro's quadruple murder trial.
• Prosecutors argue the DVR was seized without a warrant due to the immediate threat of a fire at Caneiro's home.
• Defense attorneys contend the seizure was illegal because the fire was contained and did not threaten the garage where the device was located.

TRENTON -- As they heard arguments Nov. 3 on whether to admit a key piece of evidence against Paul Caneiro at his upcoming trial in the murders of four family members, state Supreme Court justices seemed focused on whether the item was threatened by a fire at the defendant's Ocean Township house before police seized it without a warrant.
[.....]
At a pretrial hearing earlier this year, Ocean Township police Sgt. Jeffrey Malone testified he ordered officers to seize the DVR without a warrant because he believed it could contain evidence of the cause and origin of the fire and who started it.

Superior Court Judge Marc C. Lemiuex, Monmouth County's assignment judge who will preside over Caneiro's trial next year, ruled that the evidence derived from the security system is inadmissible because police took the DVR without a warrant. An appellate panel upheld Lemiuex's decision, leading to the prosecution's appeal before the state's high court.
[.....]
At the end of the hearing, Rabner asked do Outeiro when jury selection for Caneiro's trial is scheduled to begin, to which she responded Jan. 5.

That question indicated the possibility that the court may rule on the appeal before then, clearing the way for the trial to finally get underway.

 

[Niner]

Just to keep my notes straight...

Monday, Nov. 3rd:
*Oral Arguments Hearing (NJ Supreme Court) (@ am ET) – NJ – Keith Martin Caneiro (50), his wife Jennifer Karidis Caneiro (45) & 2 children Jesse (11) & Sophia (8) (Nov. 20, 2018, Colt’s Neck; died prior to fire @ home) – *Paul Jay Caneiro (51/now 57) (bro) arrested (11/20/18), charged (11/29/18), indicted (2/25/19) & arraigned (3/18/19) on 4 counts of murder, 2 counts of felony murder, 2 counts of aggravated arson, possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, possession of a knife for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a knife, theft, misapplication of entrusted property & 2 counts of hindering apprehension. Plead not guilty. Held without bond. Monmouth County
*Indicted (7/1/19) & arraigned (3/18/19) with 2nd degree insurance fraud (from 11/6/12 to 7/9/19). Plead not guilty.
Previously charge with 2 counts of 2nd degree aggravated arson (in connection to fire set @ his Ocean Township home on the same day before fire in Colt’s Neck) & with 4 counts of murder, with possession of a firearm & possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose. Plead not guilty. Held without bond. Paul Caneiro allegedly stole $78K from Keith & Jennifer Caneiro. He stole the money sometime between January 2017 & the day of the murders.
Jury selection set to begin on 9/8/25 has been delayed until 1/5/26. @ 8:45a There will be 12 jurors & 4 alternates.
Trial was set to begin on 9/8/25 after jury selection was delayed. (should take about 4 weeks)
Superior Court Judge Joseph W. Oxley, presiding. Monmouth County Prosecutor Deputy First assistant Christopher Decker & Assistant Monmouth County prosecutor Nicole Wallace. Deputy Public Defender Tamar Lerer, Public defender’s office attorneys W. Michael Wicke, Victoria Howard & Monika Mastellone.
Court info from 11/28/18 thru 9/19/25 reference post #78 here:
https://websleuths.com/threads/nj-m...colts-neck-20-nov-2018-arrest-2.740776/page-4
10/10/25 Update: In the coming weeks, summonses will be mailed to 8,000 Monmouth County residents, who will be whittled down to a panel of 16 to sit in judgment of Caneiro when he is tried next year in the murders of four family members. At a court conference on 10/10/25, Superior Court Judge Marc C. Lemieux said jury summonses will go out in the mail Oct. 23 to 5,000 residents, requesting their appearance at the Monmouth County Courthouse the week of Jan. 5, when jury selection for Caneiro's trial is scheduled to begin. Another 3,000 summonses will be mailed on Oct. 30 requesting more potential jurors to report during the second week of jury selection, Lemieux said. The trial was scheduled to start last month, until the state Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal by prosecutors regarding evidence that Lemieux ordered suppressed. That evidence consists of a security system at the defendant's home that showed Paul Caneiro walking up to it at 1:29am when the camera shut off. Prosecutors have alleged the defendant disabled the camera to mask his departure from home in the early hours to drive to his brother's home & commit the murders. Lemieux suppressed the evidence because investigators did not obtain a warrant to take it. The state's high court is expected to hear arguments on the appeal in early November.
11/3/25 Update: The New Jersey Supreme Court heard arguments 11/3/25 on whether to admit a key piece of evidence against Caneiro at his upcoming trial in the murders of four family members, state Supreme Court justices seemed focused on whether the item was threatened by a fire at the defendant's Ocean Township house before police seized it without a warrant. Prosecutors argue the DVR was seized without a warrant due to the immediate threat of a fire at Caneiro's home. Defense attorneys contend the seizure was illegal because the fire was contained & did not threaten the garage where the device was located. At the end of the hearing, Judge Rabner asked do Outeiro when jury selection for Caneiro's trial is scheduled to begin, to which she responded Jan. 5. That question indicated the possibility that the court may rule on the appeal before then, clearing the way for the trial to finally get underway.

 

[Niner]

Anyone finding anything in the U.S. for this case? I tried... nothing since the last article about the N.J. Supreme court to hear the oral arguments on 11/3/25. I guess no decision for a while.... ??

Still have jury selection starting 1/5/26.

 

[Seattle1]

Anyone finding anything in the U.S. for this case? I tried... nothing since the last article about the N.J. Supreme court to hear the oral arguments on 11/3/25. I guess no decision for a while.... ??

Still have jury selection starting 1/5/26.

State v. Paul Caneiro​

A pretrial conference is scheduled for Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. before Superior Court Assignment Judge Marc Lemieux, Monmouth County Courthouse, 71 Monument Street, Freehold. The matter also will be livestreamed.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin in State v Paul Caneiro on Jan. 5, 2026, at 8:45 a.m. before Superior Court Assignment Judge Marc Lemieux, Monmouth County Courthouse, 71 Monument St., Freehold.

Notable Cases - Overview | NJ Courts

Overview of significant legal cases involving state law, public interest, and legal procedures, including DWI plea agreements, forensic lab issues, and fair housing disputes.

www.njcourts.gov

 

[Niner]

State v. Paul Caneiro​

A pretrial conference is scheduled for Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. before Superior Court Assignment Judge Marc Lemieux, Monmouth County Courthouse, 71 Monument Street, Freehold. The matter also will be livestreamed.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin in State v Paul Caneiro on Jan. 5, 2026, at 8:45 a.m. before Superior Court Assignment Judge Marc Lemieux, Monmouth County Courthouse, 71 Monument St., Freehold.

Notable Cases - Overview | NJ Courts

Overview of significant legal cases involving state law, public interest, and legal procedures, including DWI plea agreements, forensic lab issues, and fair housing disputes.

www.njcourts.gov

Thanks!!

 

[Niner]

Friday, Dec. 5th:
*Pretrial Conference Hearing (@ 10am ET) – NJ – Keith Martin Caneiro (50), his wife Jennifer Karidis Caneiro (45) & 2 children Jesse (11) & Sophia (8) (Nov. 20, 2018, Colt’s Neck; died prior to fire @ home) – *Paul Jay Caneiro (51/now 58) (bro) arrested (11/20/18), charged (11/29/18), indicted (2/25/19) & arraigned (3/18/19) on 4 counts of murder, 2 counts of felony murder, 2 counts of aggravated arson, possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, possession of a knife for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a knife, theft, misapplication of entrusted property & 2 counts of hindering apprehension. Plead not guilty. Held without bond. Monmouth County
*Indicted (7/1/19) & arraigned (3/18/19) with 2nd degree insurance fraud (from 11/6/12 to 7/9/19). Plead not guilty.
Paul Caneiro allegedly stole $78K from Keith & Jennifer Caneiro. He stole the money sometime between January 2017 & the day of the murders.
Jury selection set to begin on 1/5/26. @ 8:45a There will be 12 jurors & 4 alternates.
Trial set to begin after jury selection. (should take about 4 weeks)
Superior Court Judge Joseph W. Oxley presiding. Monmouth County Prosecutor Deputy First assistant Christopher Decker & Assistant Monmouth County prosecutor Nicole Wallace. Deputy Public Defender Tamar Lerer, Public defender’s office attorneys W. Michael Wicke, Victoria Howard & Monika Mastellone.
Court info from 11/28/18 thru 10/10/25 reference post #83 here:
https://websleuths.com/threads/nj-m...colts-neck-20-nov-2018-arrest-2.740776/page-5
11/3/25 Update: The New Jersey Supreme Court heard arguments 11/3/25 on whether to admit a key piece of evidence against Caneiro at his upcoming trial in the murders of four family members, state Supreme Court justices seemed focused on whether the item was threatened by a fire at the defendant's Ocean Township house before police seized it without a warrant. Prosecutors argue the DVR was seized without a warrant due to the immediate threat of a fire at Caneiro's home. Defense attorneys contend the seizure was illegal because the fire was contained & did not threaten the garage where the device was located. At the end of the hearing, Judge Rabner asked do Outeiro when jury selection for Caneiro's trial is scheduled to begin, to which she responded Jan. 5. That question indicated the possibility that the court may rule on the appeal before then, clearing the way for the trial to finally get underway.
11/3/25 Update: A pretrial conference is scheduled for 12/5/25 @ 10am before Superior Court Assignment Judge Marc Lemieux.

 

[arielilane]

Do you remember the Paul Caneiro case, aka the Colts Neck mansion killings? The trial has been postponed A LOT, but they were back in court today. The judge insisted that this trial will begin on Jan. 5, 2026. When the judge asked Caniero if he understood there are no more delays, he responded, "Looking forward to it."

BACKGROUND on the case:

https://lawandcrime.com/crime/this-is-why-paul-caneiro-allegedly-massacred-brother-sister-in-law-niece-and-nephew/

https://twitter.com/x/status/1997075562112929938

 

[arielilane]

Key evidence admissible in Caneiro quadruple murder trial, N.J. Supreme Court rules

Paul Caneiro is charged with killing his brother and his brother's family.

www.nj.com

A funeral for the Caneiro family was at the Holmdel Funeral home on Sunday, Dec., 2, 2018 (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for

 

[Niner]

Thanks for that article @arielilane - too bad it doesn't tell us his next court hearing date....

@Seattle1 - can you access the court site? I believe this is the case #: Monmouth County Case #W 2018 790 TIA!

 

[Seattle1]

Trial can go ahead as planned in January with jury selection beginning on Jan 5, 2026!

High Court rules key evidence back in at Paul Caneiro's murder trial

The state Supreme Court ruled evidence previously suppressed by a lower court judge and an appellate court, can be introduced at his murder trial.

www.app.com

12/4/25

TRENTON - The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Dec. 4 that key evidence taken without a search warrant from Paul Caneiro's garage will be admissible against the Ocean Township man, clearing the way for his trial to begin next month in the 2018 murders of four close relatives.

The high court said police acted reasonably in seizing a DVR home-security surveillance system from Caneiro's garage, without first taking time to obtain a search warrant, because the home was on fire at the time.
The ruling means prosecutors can introduce the evidence derived from the security system at Caneiro's trial in the murders of his brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew, and a series of arson fires he is alleged to have set to cover up the killings.

"The issue before us is whether law enforcement officers had an objectively reasonable basis to believe that securing a search warrant was impracticable because immediate action was necessary to prevent the destruction of evidence located in a garage, not itself on fire, but attached to a house that remained ablaze,'' the high court said in a unanimous opinion written by Justice Douglas M. Fasciale.

"We find that here, time was of the essence, delay was not reasonable, and seizure of the DVR by police without a warrant was justified by exigent circumstances,'' the opinion said

Caneiro's long-anticipated trial was supposed to begin in September, but it was put on hold after the Supreme Court agreed to hear the prosecutor's appeal of rulings by Superior Court Judge Marc C. Lemieux and a panel of appellate judges excluding evidence derived from the home security system.

 

[Seattle1]

State v. Paul J. Caneiro (A-1-25) (091055)

Argued November 3, 2025 -- Decided December 4, 2025

JUSTICE FASCIALE, writing for a unanimous Court.

Link to pdf pages 1-29:

https://www.njcourts.gov/system/files/court-opinions/2025/a_1_25.pdf

 

[Seattle1]

Thanks for that article @arielilane - too bad it doesn't tell us his next court hearing date....

@Seattle1 - can you access the court site? I believe this is the case #: Monmouth County Case #W 2018 790 TIA!

Paul had a pretrial hearing on 12/5 that was supposed to be livestreamed per the court site, but I didn't check the link, and I don't find a YT for Monmouth Superior Court. Seems nobody outside of Court covered it -- too many trials taking place Friday! I suspect that given the Supreme Court decision delivered on 12/4, they probably just confirmed to be ready for trial in 4 weeks!

State v. Paul Caneiro​

A pretrial conference is scheduled for Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. before Superior Court Assignment Judge Marc Lemieux, Monmouth County Courthouse, 71 Monument Street, Freehold. The matter also will be livestreamed.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin in State v Paul Caneiro on Jan. 5, 2026, at 8:45 a.m. before Superior Court Assignment Judge Marc Lemieux, Monmouth County Courthouse, 71 Monument St., Freehold.

Notable Cases - Overview | NJ Courts

Overview of significant legal cases involving state law, public interest, and legal procedures, including DWI plea agreements, forensic lab issues, and fair housing disputes.

www.njcourts.gov

 

[Niner]

Paul had a pretrial hearing on 12/5 that was supposed to be livestreamed per the court site, but I didn't check the link, and I don't find a YT for Monmouth Superior Court. Seems nobody outside of Court covered it -- too many trials taking place Friday! I suspect that given the Supreme Court decision delivered on 12/4, they probably just confirmed to be ready for trial in 4 weeks!

State v. Paul Caneiro​

A pretrial conference is scheduled for Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. before Superior Court Assignment Judge Marc Lemieux, Monmouth County Courthouse, 71 Monument Street, Freehold. The matter also will be livestreamed.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin in State v Paul Caneiro on Jan. 5, 2026, at 8:45 a.m. before Superior Court Assignment Judge Marc Lemieux, Monmouth County Courthouse, 71 Monument St., Freehold.

Notable Cases - Overview | NJ Courts

Overview of significant legal cases involving state law, public interest, and legal procedures, including DWI plea agreements, forensic lab issues, and fair housing disputes.

www.njcourts.gov

Okay - thanks for checking! I guess I shall move him to jury selection on 1/5/26.