A lawyer defends New Jersey man on charges of arson and death of his brother

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Suspicions swirled around the brother of a New Jersey man killed on Tuesday with his wife and two children at their home, which erupted in a large, suspicious fire.

But that man's lawyer, Paul J. Caneiro, defended his client on Thursday and claimed that he was at home when his brother was killed and his house was set on fire.

"He loved it," said lawyer Robert A. Honecker Jr. in an interview. "And he would not hurt his brother."

Mr. Caneiro was charged with lighting two fires before dawn Tuesday in his home in Ocean Township while his wife and daughters were inside. No one was hurt in those flames.

But firefighters responding to a fire about seven hours later in Colts Neck, New Jersey, 20 km away, made a terrible discovery: the bodies of Keith Caneiro, 50; his wife, Jennifer Karidis Caneiro, 45 years old; and their two children, James, 11, and Sophia, 8 years old.

Keith Caneiro was found shot dead outside; his wife and children were inside the burning house.

Paul Caneiro remained in prison, charged with serious indictment for the fires that occurred in his home. He was also not charged with the attack on his brother's family.

But as investigators continued to search for a suspect and motive in Thursday's killings, Honecker said his client did not commit the crimes.

"He maintains his innocence on the current indictment and the potential charges," Honecker said. "His family fully supports him in the pursuit of his defense and he hopes to be fully exonerated as the case is resolved."

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Mr. Honecker described the Caneiro brothers as "best friends" and said that there was no reason to believe that a serious conflict had been created between them. The two men were also business partners in two companies, Square One, a technology consulting firm, and EcoStar Pest Management, a pest control company, both located in the same building on Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park.

Mr. Caneiro is scheduled to make his first court appearance next week, while prosecutors should explain what the investigators believe they have transpired at the two brothers' homes. He is scheduled to appear in Monmouth County Superior Court before judge James J. McGann, who will decide to release or detain him.

Officials from Monmouth County were not available to comment on Thursday. Government offices have been closed due to Thanksgiving holidays.

Keith Caneiro's family home in Colts Neck remained a crime scene on Thursday as investigators walked in and out of the house just beyond a police checkpoint.

Officials did not explain how Ms. Caneiro and the children were dead, and it was unclear whether their autopsies had been completed.

At around 5:00 am Tuesday, police and fire departments rushed to Paul Caneiro's home at 27 Tilton Drive, where they extinguished a fire at the back of the house and a smaller fire on the adjoining garage door, according to the Monmouth County Attorney. Office.

Mr. Caneiro's wife was sleeping in a room on the second floor at the beginning of the fires, officials said, but she, her husband and two children met the rescuers outside and suffered no harm.

At the hearing on Wednesday, Monmouth County prosecutors should argue that Mr. Caneiro should be incarcerated for risk of flight or for public safety, or both, said his lawyer.

"We will challenge both their probable cause to charge him as well as the dual reason for detaining him," Mr Honecker said. If he is found guilty of arson, Mr. Caneiro incurs a sentence of five to ten years imprisonment.

His family thinks he's innocent, the lawyer said.

"These are the alleged victims in this case," he continued. "They love and fully support it."