Community members gathered to mourn the family of four while the man's brother and alleged killer remained behind bars.
The Caneiro family of four, brutally slain at their Colts Neck mansion in New Jersey last month, was laid to rest Sunday.
Community members including law enforcement gathered around the Monmouth County funeral home to mourn Keith Caneiro, 50, his wife Jennifer, 45, and their two young children, 8-year-old Sophia and 11-year-old Jesse. The family was found dead in their home Nov. 20.
“The passing of these four beautiful people was tragic, sudden and incomprehensible and, like you, we are heartbroken. May we all take comfort in the wonderful memories and incredible moments of joy they gave to all of us,” relatives said in a statement.
Keith was found shot dead outside his $1.5 million home in the early hours of Nov. 20, while his wife and kids were repeatedly stabbed before a blaze consumed their home and bodies, according to authorities. It is unclear whether Jennifer, Sophia and Jesse were killed by their wounds or by the fire.
After several days of confusion surrounding the mysterious deaths, prosecutors announced Thursday the ordeal may have begun from a financial dispute between Keith and his brother.
Authorities allege that Paul Caneiro, 51, killed his brother and business partner Keith before turning his attention to the rest of his family. He is then believed to have set fire to the home’s basement in an attempt to destroy evidence before allegedly setting his own home aflame with his own wife and children inside in an alleged bid to make it seem like the entire Caneiro clan was targeted, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said.
Paul's wife and children made it out of the house alive.
Paul is being held at the Monmouth County Jail after being charged with four counts of first-degree murder, aggravated arson and weapons offenses. He pleaded not guilty to the charges Friday and agreed to remain in jail to await trial.
His lawyers Robert Honecker and Mitchell Ansell have repeatedly asserted their client’s innocence: "My client adamantly maintains his innocence and adamantly maintains that he would never hurt his family,'' Ansell told the Asbury Park Press Wednesday.
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