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

[Seattle1]

Caneiro trial bombshell: Judge screams at lawyer for sitting on explosive evidence that could shift murder case​

2/10/26

An angry judge and a defiant defense attorney squared off loudly at Paul Caneiro’s murder trial Tuesday morning over a screenshot and the location of an iPad – and another mention of the third Caneiro brother, Corey.

The verbal fireworks took up most of the morning, yet resulted in a minor win for the defense, despite harsh words and warnings Judge Marc Lemieux directed to defense attorney Monika Mastellone, who he said violated discovery rules.

At one point, Lemieux noted for the record that Mastellone had rolled her eyes while he was speaking, and Mastellone told the judge he was being unnecessarily “accusatory.”

[...]

Much of the debate on Tuesday centered around a text that Paul’s eldest daughter, Katie Caneiro, sent to Jennifer on the morning of the murders. Katie testified on Monday that she looked at the text over the weekend in anticipation of testifying and noticed that its status went from being delivered to “read,” and she wondered who had read it. She had a screenshot of the text on her phone, she said.

MSN

 

[Seattle1]

Closing arguements begin in Paul Caneiro quadruple Colts Neck murder trial

Paul Caneiro is accused of killing his brother, Keith Caneiro, along with Keith’s wife Jennifer and their children Sophia and Jesse.

newjersey.news12.com

2/10/26

Closing arguments in the Caneiro case will begin on Wednesday at the Monmouth County Courthouse and then the jury will start deliberations.

Jurors on Tuesday heard from Paul Caneiro’s two daughters, who have decided to stand by his side through this trial.

At one point, he was seen wiping away tears as his daughter Marissa described her father’s reaction to learning from police in 2018 that their relatives were found dead and their home in Colts Neck burned.

“My dad was really upset and crying. He fell to the floor and I was sitting across from him at that point. So I got up and I was on the floor with him just holding him,” said Marissa Caneiro.

The defense strategy has been to try and pin the murders on Paul and Keith’s other brother, Cory Caneiro, arguing he was never investigated by detectives.

Paul Caneiro is also charged with allegedly setting his own house on fire to deflect any involvement in his brother’s murder.

 

[Seattle1]

https://www.app.com/story/news/local/courts/2026/02/10/caneiro-defense-withheld-evidence-from-state-at-murder-trial-judge/88555772007/

2/10/26

FREEHOLD - Testimony that an email sent to Jennifer Caneiro was marked "read" after her death sparked controversy at Paul Caneiro's quadruple murder trial, with a judge ruling Feb. 10 that the defense team improperly kept that information from the prosecution.

Additionally, Superior Court Judge Marc C. Lemieux ruled defense attorneys improperly kept from prosecutors information about the location of an iPad belonging to Jennifer Caneiro's son, Jessie.

[...]

Defense attorneys have argued Corey Caneiro committed the murders, and that detectives failed to investigate him as a possible suspect.

The defense attorneys wanted to elicit testimony that Jessie's iPad was at Corey Caneiro's house to support their argument that Corey removed items from Keith Caneiro's mansion after the murders, the judge said.

 

[Seattle1]

2/10/26

Judge in Paul Caneiro trial scolds defense over hiding evidence​

 

[Seattle1]

2/11/26

Paul Caneiro’s Daughter Clashes With Prosecutors During Tense Questioning​

 

[Seattle1]

Closing arguements begin in Paul Caneiro quadruple Colts Neck murder trial

Paul Caneiro is accused of killing his brother, Keith Caneiro, along with Keith’s wife Jennifer and their children Sophia and Jesse.

newjersey.news12.com

2/11/26

Wednesday update

The defense attorney’s closing argument has lasted more than two hours — and she’s not done yet. The judge has ordered a break, and proceedings will resume at 12:30 p.m. The prosecutor still needs to deliver the state’s closing argument, and the judge will charge the jury afterward.

Paul Caneiro, the man accused of killing four family members in a 2018 slaying, has decided not to take the stand at his murder trial.

The 59-year-old told Superior Court Judge Marc Lemieux this facet as the defense rested its case on Tuesday afternoon.

 

[Seattle1]

https://www.app.com/story/news/local/courts/2026/02/11/paul-caneiro-trial-livestream-from-monmouth-county-feb-11/88620795007/

2/11/26

Paul Caneiro case in New Jersey: Feb. 11 | Live stream summations​

 

[SilentHill]

Closing arguements begin in Paul Caneiro quadruple Colts Neck murder trial

Paul Caneiro is accused of killing his brother, Keith Caneiro, along with Keith’s wife Jennifer and their children Sophia and Jesse.

newjersey.news12.com

2/11/26

Wednesday update

The defense attorney’s closing argument has lasted more than two hours — and she’s not done yet. The judge has ordered a break, and proceedings will resume at 12:30 p.m. The prosecutor still needs to deliver the state’s closing argument, and the judge will charge the jury afterward.

Paul Caneiro, the man accused of killing four family members in a 2018 slaying, has decided not to take the stand at his murder trial.

The 59-year-old told Superior Court Judge Marc Lemieux this facet as the defense rested its case on Tuesday afternoon.

Still ongoing after two hours is erm, different! I would hope she is apologising for hiding evidence but I imagine she's just putting the jury to sleep.

 

[arielilane]

TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS​

DAY 18 – 2/11/26​

• The defense delivered its closing argument.
  • WATCH: Mansion Murders Trial: Defense Closing Argument PT 1
  • WATCH: Mansion Murders Trial: Defense Closing Argument PT 2
• The prosecution delivered its closing argument.
  • WATCH: Mansion Murders Trial: Prosecution Closing Argument PT1

• DAY 17 – 2/10/26​

  • In arguments outside the presence of the jury, the judge accused the defense of committing a discovery violation.
    • WATCH: Judge Accuses Caneiro Defense Attorney of Rolling Her Eyes
  • The defense rested its case.

NJ v. Paul Caneiro: The Mansion Murders Trial

UPDATE: Paul Caneiro is accused of murdering his brother, Keith Caneiro, and Keith's wife and children before setting both of their homes on fire.

www.courttv.com

 

[Seattle1]

Unbelievable -- just like term limits, I'm all for Statutes that define a set time limit for both the opening statements and closing arguments!

The Judge just paused the Prosecution's closing at 4:30 PM and sent the Jurors home for the evening. The State will resume their closing argument at 8:30 AM on Thursday.

 

[Luna20]

Why didn’t they call Corey?

 

[Niner]

Thursday, February 12th:
*Trial continues (Day 19)-CLOSING ARGUMENTS/VERDICT WATCH! (@ 8:30am ET) – NJ – Keith Martin Caneiro (50), his wife Jennifer Karidis Caneiro (45) & 2 children Jesse (11) & Sophia (8) (Nov. 20, 2018, Colt’s1Neck; died prior to fire @ home) – *Paul Jay Caneiro (51/now 59) (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 began on 1/5/26 & ended on 1/9/26. 12 jurors & 4 alternates.
Trial began on 1/12/26 & State rested their case on 2/6/26. Defense began their case on 2/6/26 & rested their case on 2/10/26.
Superior Court Judge Marc C. Lemieux presiding. Monmouth County Prosecutor Deputy First assistant Christopher Decker & Assistant Monmouth County prosecutor Nicole Wallace. Public defender’s office attorneys Monika Mastellone & Andy Murray.
Court info from 11/28/18 thru 12/4/25 r& Jury Selection Days 1-5 (1/5-1/9/26) & Trial Days 1-17 (1/12-2/10/26-no trial on 2/5/26) reference post #238 here:
https://websleuths.com/threads/nj-m...olts-neck-20-nov-2018-arrest-2.740776/page-12
2/11/26 Wednesday, Trial Day 18: Closing arguments by defense attorney Monika Mastellone & prosecutor Christopher Decker & will continue tomorrow. Trial continues with closing arguments on Thursday, 2/12/26.

 

[arielilane]

Day 16

Defendant's daughter gives critical testimony in Colts Neck murder trial

The daughter of a man on trial in one of the biggest murder cases to play out in New Jersey in years gave gripping testimony on Monday.

abc7ny.com

this one describes what went wrong

N.J. mansion murders trial halted during testimony of suspect’s daughter

The judge dismissed the jury and ordered lawyers to submit briefs by after prosecutors objected to questions about Jesse Caneiro's iPad location.

www.nj.com

Feb. 10, 2026
The judge in Paul Caneiro’s murder trial abruptly halted the testimony of Paul’s daughter in the middle of questioning as she was about to answer a question about her dead cousin Jesse’s iPad.

Katie Caneiro, testifying for the defense, had just finished describing her family’s close, idyllic life with her uncle Keith Caneiro, aunt Jennifer and cousins, Jesse, 11, and Sophia, 8 — who her father is accused of killing on Nov. 20, 2018.

She also described her recollection of the day of the murders and finding out they were all gone. “It was the hardest day of my life,” she said through tears, while seated just a few feet from her father.

Moments later, she described how Jesse had shared the location of his iPad with Katie, and in February 2019, five months after the murders, she checked the iPad’s location.

“When you checked the location, what was the location?” defense attorney Monika Mastellone asked. Before Katie could answer, prosecutor Nicole Wallace objected, which led to a side bar and then a lengthy delay, and Monmouth County Judge Marc Lemieux leaving the bench.

When he returned, he dismissed the jury, and said the lawyers had until 10 p.m. to write briefs on a legal issue, and he would decide the matter Tuesday morning.

He then told Mastellone the issue was about “you not telling the state what you were about to elicit.”

Insufferable witness.

 

[Seattle1]

TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS​

DAY 19 – 2/12/26​

• LIVE STREAM: NJ v. Paul Caneiro – Day 19 | Mansion Murders Trial
• Prosecutors continued delivering their closing argument.
  • WATCH: Mansion Murders Trial: Prosecution Closing Argument PT3
  • WATCH: Mansion Murders Trial: Prosecution Closing Argument PT4

NJ v. Paul Caneiro: The Mansion Murders Trial

UPDATE: Paul Caneiro is accused of murdering his brother, Keith Caneiro, and Keith's wife and children before setting both of their homes on fire.

www.courttv.com

 

[Seattle1]

Scandalous murder trial of NJ tech boss Paul Caneiro wraps — after prosecutors blast ‘far-fetched’ framing theory

The scandalous trial of New Jersey tech boss Paul Caneiro, who is accused of slaughtering his brother and his brother’s family, wrapped on Thursday.

nypost.com

2/12/26

The scandalous trial of New Jersey tech boss Paul Caneiro, who is accused of slaughtering his brother and his brother’s family, wrapped Thursday — as prosecutors blasted the “far-fetched” defense theory that a third brother framed him.

The defense attorney for Caneiro, 59, suggested to jurors during closing arguments in Monmouth County court that Paul and Keith’s other brother, Corey Caneiro, may have actually killed Keith, his wife, and their kids on Nov. 20, 2018.

And if Paul was convicted of the alleged frame job, then Corey, 52, would become the sole inheritor of Keith’s $3 million family trust, defense attorney Monika Mastellone told the jury at the end of the month-long trial.

[..]

Paul, who was put in charge of Keith’s trust set up in 1999, would forfeit his inheritance if convicted of murder, Decker argued.

“It’s a far-fetched argument that we should have accused Corey Caneiro of murder because he stood to gain $1.5 million that he didn’t even know about,” the prosecutor told the jury Wednesday.

 

[Luna20]

Insufferable witness.

Seriously, she is bitter and arrogant.

 

[Niner]

So did the jurors get the case yet?

 

[Tortoise]

So did the jurors get the case yet?

Yes, but they've been sent home and don't start deliberations until tomorrow morning.