Paul Caneiro’s defense team has ignited fresh controversy in his high-profile quadruple murder trial by pointing fingers at an unexpected figure: his other brother. As testimony unfolds in Monmouth County Superior Court in early 2026, more than seven years after the brutal 2018 killings, attorneys for Paul argue investigators overlooked critical possibilities, including potential involvement from the youngest Caneiro sibling, often referred to in filings and reports as Corey or the “third brother.” This theory emerges amid ongoing revelations about financial deceit, arson, and a family’s descent into tragedy.
The case centers on Paul Caneiro, 59, accused of murdering his younger brother Keith Caneiro, 50, Keith’s wife Jennifer, 45, and their children Jesse, 11, and Sophia, 8, on November 20, 2018. Prosecutors allege Paul shot Keith multiple times outside the family’s Colts Neck mansion, then stabbed Jennifer and the children before setting the home ablaze to cover his tracks. Hours earlier, a fire at Paul’s Ocean Township residence—where he, his wife, and two adult daughters escaped and parked nearby in a Porsche SUV—appeared designed to create the illusion of a broader attack on the family.
The motive, according to the state, stems from escalating financial tensions. Keith discovered Paul had allegedly diverted tens of thousands from company accounts and a trust tied to a $3 million life insurance policy where Paul served as trustee. Forensic accounting testimony detailed Paul’s lavish spending—over $700,000 in personal expenses from 2017-2018, including leases on three Porsches, mortgage payments, and support for an extramarital affair—while his accounts dipped negative. Keith’s recorded calls the night before the murders demanded answers about missing funds, with profanity-laced demands for logins and explanations.
Paul has pleaded not guilty, maintaining his innocence throughout pretrial delays and now in the trial that began jury selection in January 2026. His defense, led by Monika Mastellone, has aggressively challenged the prosecution’s narrative. In opening statements and cross-examinations, they highlighted investigative gaps, including the failure to test DNA or thoroughly probe other family members. Specifically, they floated the idea that the third brother—Corey Caneiro—may have had motive or opportunity, though no formal charges exist against him.
Corey, the youngest sibling, has largely remained out of the public eye. Civil lawsuits filed by Keith’s estate accuse him of colluding with Paul post-arrest to install himself as trustee on Keith’s family trust, contrary to Keith’s wishes. Corey denied the allegations in court filings, and his attorney has not commented publicly on the criminal proceedings. Recent sightings of Corey driving a Porsche have fueled speculation online and in media circles, with observers noting the irony: luxury vehicles feature prominently in the financial evidence against Paul, including multiple leased Porsches tied to diverted funds.
Prosecutors dismiss the third-brother theory as deflection. They argue forensic links—blood-stained gloves, a murder weapon in Paul’s basement, matching bullets, accelerant traces—point squarely at Paul. Witnesses, including neighbors who saw two men with flashlights near Paul’s home pre-fire and first responders noting burn marks on a white Porsche Macan with a nearby gas can, bolster their case. Body-camera footage and security system records show Paul signing off on searches and items seized from his vehicle.
The trial has gripped New Jersey as one of the state’s most significant in recent years. Emotional testimony includes Keith’s haunting recorded voice demanding accountability, detailed financial breakdowns exposing Paul’s spending habits, and neighbor accounts of the chaotic morning. The defense counters by questioning witness credibility, pointing to cleared alternative leads, and emphasizing Paul’s emotional reactions in court—wiping tears during proceedings—as evidence of genuine grief rather than guilt.
Broader context reveals a fractured family dynamic. The brothers co-owned Square One, a tech firm heavily reliant on a major contract that prosecutors say Paul jeopardized through mismanagement. Keith’s discovery threatened Paul’s lifestyle and position. Post-murders, civil actions allege continued manipulation of assets, with Corey implicated in trust maneuvers.
As the trial progresses—expected to last weeks with forensic experts, family friends, and investigators testifying—the third-brother angle remains unproven but potent. No evidence directly implicates Corey in the crimes, and authorities have focused solely on Paul. Yet the suggestion has introduced doubt, a classic defense strategy in circumstantial cases heavy on motive but reliant on connecting dots.
For the surviving Caneiro relatives, including Paul’s wife and daughters who escaped the initial fire, and extended family mourning Keith’s branch, the proceedings reopen deep wounds. The Porsche sightings—whether Corey’s or symbolic of the family’s once-shared extravagance—underscore lingering questions about wealth, betrayal, and justice.
Paul faces life without parole if convicted on murder counts alone. The outcome hinges on whether jurors accept the prosecution’s portrait of greed-driven fratricide or entertain reasonable doubt sown by the defense’s alternative theories. As testimony continues, the courtroom drama reveals not just a crime but the unraveling of a family empire built on technology, trust, and ultimately tragedy.
