NJ judge rejects bid to free Colt’s Neck quadruple murder suspect Paul Caneiro over trial delay

A New Jersey judge Friday blocked accused quadruple murderer Paul Caneiro’s bid to be released from jail after he argued his rights were violated by keeping him locked up for over six years without trial.

Caneiro, 58 — who is accused of killing his business partner brother and the sibling’s family in Colt’s Neck 2018 — had been slated to go on trial Monday until the case was paused last week for an appeal.

Caneiro’s lawyers argued during a hearing Friday before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Marc Lemieux that since a deadline would lapse on Sept. 14 for prosecutors to try Caneiro under his speedy trial rights, he must legally be released.

“It is simply not just to hold someone in jail for seven years without having the opportunity to have their case tried,” Caneiro’s defense attorney Monika Mastellone argued.

Just days before jury selection had been scheduled to start on Sept. 8, the New Jersey Supreme Court — the state’s top court — agreed to hear prosecutors’ appeal that DVR video evidence should be allowed to be shown to jurors.

Prosecutor Christopher Decker argued the speedy trial clock should be paused while his office fights to get the evidence in.

Decker said his office was fully ready to go to trial in the shocking Colt’s Neck killings and didn’t know the appeal court would agree to hear the case last week and so it is now out of his hands.

“The state is here to say we are trial ready,” Decker said. “This court no longer has jurisdiction.
Is that the fault of the state by the virtue of the fact that we filed the motion and it was granted?”

Lemieux repeatedly sought to home in on what it legally means to be “trial ready” — a requirement prosecutors must show in order to extend the speedy trial clock.

“There is no doubt that both sides were ready to proceed to trial,” Lemieux said. “You were ready to proceed last Wednesday. My question is, are you still ready?”

Caneiro is accused of shooting his brother, Keith, 50, shooting and stabbing his sister-in-law Jennifer, 50, and stabbing their kids Jesse, 11, and Sophia, 8 on Nov. 20, 2018. Caneiro then allegedly set their $1.5 million Colt’s Neck mansion on fire to cover up the crimes, prosecutors claim.

Caneiro has pleaded not guilty and is now scheduled to go on trial beginning with jury selection on Jan. 5, 2026.