The fire at Paul Caneiro's house in Monmouth County broke out hours before his brother's Colts Neck mansion was found in flames with his brother and his family dead Watch video

UPDATE: Colts Neck fire: Brother tried to torch own house with his wife, daughters inside, cops say

The brother of the Colts Neck man found dead along with his wife and two children in a quadruple homicide at their burning mansion Tuesday has been charged with setting his own house ablaze hours earlier the same day.

Paul Caneiro, 51
 

Paul Caneiro, 51, was booked in the Monmouth County jail in Freehold Wednesday morning on one count of aggravated arson in Ocean Township, jail records show.

Caneiro's brother, Keith and his family were found dead Tuesday at their Colts Neck estate, according to sources. Keith Caneiro was found with a gunshot wound that did not appear to be self-inflicted outside his smoldering Colts Neck mansion Tuesday afternoon, sources previously told NJ Advance Media. The mansion was in flames when authorities arrived around 12:45 p.m.

According to multiple law enforcement sources, Paul Caneiro was charged with trying to intentionally set a fire at his Tilton Drive residence in the Wayside section of town earlier on Tuesday morning.

No charges have been filed in the Colts Neck fire or in the homicides of Keith Caneiro, 50, his wife Jennifer Caneiro, 45, and two of their children. Jennifer Caneiro and the two children were found inside the $1.5-million dollar sprawling mansion on Willow Brook Road.

Keith and Jennifer CaneiroKeith Caneiro's Facebook page

At an afternoon press conference on Tuesday, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni declined to release the names of the victims in the Colts Neck blaze, but said two of the bodies located inside the residence were children.

He said the bodies inside were "burned severely." 

Gramiccioni said detectives were following up on leads that the fire in Ocean Township is possibly linked to the Colts Neck blaze. 

Paul Caneiro lives at his Ocean Township residence with his wife, Susan. 

Paul Caneiro's home on Tilton Drive in Ocean Township. He was charged Wednesday morning with intentionally setting it on fire. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Neighbors told NJ Advance Media Paul Caneiro appeared visibly distressed, with "tears in his eyes," after the fire broke out before dawn at his house.

Neighbors said he stayed at the scene until about noon. He and his wife had not returned home as of Tuesday evening.

Neighbors described the Ocean Township couple, who have two older children, as friendly and helpful, and said Paul Caneiro had been injured in a car accident in Asbury Park a few years ago.

Keith Caneiro is listed as the owner of both the technology firm, Square One, and EcoStar Pest Management in Asbury Park, working both businesses with Paul Caneiro.

The two grew up in Brooklyn before both marrying women from Staten Island and moving to New Jersey.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office is scheduled to have a press conference Wednesday afternoon. 

Sophie Nieto-Munoz, Ted Sherman and Thomas Moriarty contributed to this report.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Paul Caneiro, 51, was charged with one count of aggravated arson early Wednesday. Watch video

The brother of the Colts Neck man found dead along with his family in quadruple homicide at their mansion Tuesday tried to set fire to his own house with gasoline earlier that morning while his wife and two daughters were inside, according to a criminal complaint.

Paul Caneiro, 51, of Ocean Township.

The new details in the aggravated arson case against Paul Caneiro, 51, of Ocean Township, emerged Wednesday afternoon in response to an open public records request filed by NJ Advance Media and in advance of a Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office press conference to provide updates in its investigation.

Caneiro, 51, was charged early Wednesday and taken to the Monmouth County jail in Freehold where he is being held until his first court appearance and detention hearing on Nov. 28, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said Wednesday afternoon at the press briefing.

No charges have been filed in the killing of Caniero's brother Keith, his wife Jennifer, and two children, Jesse, 11, and Sophia, 8.

Keith Caneiro, 50, and his family were found dead Tuesday at their Colts Neck estate. Keith Caneiro was found with gunshot wounds outside his smoldering mansion Tuesday afternoon, Gramiccioni said. The mansion was in flames when authorities arrived around 12:45 p.m.

"This is one of the most heinous cases we've ever seen," Gramiccioni said during the press conference Wednesday. "All were victims of a homicide."

All four were killed before the fire was set.

Gramiccioni said a landscaper called to report the fire at 12:38 p.m.

Jennifer Caneiro, 45, and the couple's two children were found inside the $1.5-million dollar sprawling mansion on Willow Brook Road, Gramiccioni said.

"We believe in some form or fashion this family was targeted," Gramiccioni said. "I do believe this was a targeted situation."

Gramiccioni said at a press conference Tuesday that detectives were investigating the possibility that the two fires were linked.

Neighbors told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday that Paul Caneiro appeared visibly distressed, with "tears in his eyes," after the fire broke out before dawn at his house.

Neighbors said he stayed at the scene until about noon. He and his wife had not returned home as of Wednesday. Property records show that Paul Caneiro and his wife purchased the Tilton Drive home in 1997.

Paul Caneiro's home on Tilton Drive in Ocean Township. He was charged Wednesday morning with intentionally setting it on fire. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Hundreds gathered to remember Keith and Jennifer Caneiro and their two children, victims of a quadruple homicide

On the chilly eve of a holiday that represents coming together with family, Colts Neck did so as a town - to pray, to cry and to fondly remember a family gone so suddenly.

Hundreds gathered on the front steps of the town hall for a candlelight vigil honoring Keith and Jennifer Caneiro and their two children.

Jennifer and the kids, Jesse, 11, and Sophia, 8, were killed in a suspected arson at their home on Willow Brook Road in the township Tuesday morning. Keith was found dead on the front lawn from a gunshot wound.

The killings and the fire investigators believe was set after remain under investigation.

"I'd be lying if I stood here and told you this was easy," Mayor JP Bartolomeo said after getting up to speak to the crowd. "We lost four really nice people from our community, who I happened to be friends with, who my boys were friends with."

He said the Caneiros were well known in town and often seen at local shops or school sporting events. Later, he described Jesse as a baseball player and Sophia as a cheerleader.

"Thank you for representing that poor family," Bartolomeo told the gathering.

Throughout the evening, a bitter cold wind cut through the crowd, leaving many shivering. Those with candlesticks were cupping their hands around the flames. But they continued on with the Our Father and Hail Mary prayers - the family were practicing Catholics, attendees said.

Afterward, they created a memorial on the top step of the town hall: family photos, candles, flowers, a teddy bear.

As the crowd thinned, people spoke of their shock, or their children's sadness at losing classmates. Some who came did not know the family but nonetheless to come out and show their support for them.

"We're surrounded not only by a physical darkness, but an emotional darkness," said Pastor Chris Durkin of the Colts Neck Community Church. "We can still be thankful this Thanksgiving because we still have each other."

He then asked the crowd to pray for the schools and their children before reading Psalm 23

Keith Caneiro's brother Paul Caneiro was charged early Wednesday with setting a fire at his own home in Ocean Township. Authorities allege Paul Caneiro used gasoline to set the blaze while his wife and two daughters were inside, who were not injured, according to a criminal complaint.

Authorities are investigating a link between the incidents. The brothers were partners in business.

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Holiday shopping never used to start so early.

It's an unfortunate fact that many of the traditions of Christmas shopping are fading away.

For decades, the holiday selling season began with decorations and lights ... but it wasn't usually until after Thanksgiving. It's not considered unusual anymore for holiday decorations and items to begin appearing in stores in October.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Window shopping was once a magical time for children, strolling past stores with intricate displays of the season's new toys. And there were always the Sears and Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogs to set children dreaming of what might be under the tree Christmas morning.

There simply aren't as many retailers as there once were, and online shopping takes a bigger bite from them each year. Here's a look at stores -- large and small -- where New Jerseyans shopped in years past.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

Paul Caneiro, 51, was charged with one count of aggravated arson on Wednesday morning.

Two days after a couple and their two young children were found slain and their sprawling Colts Neck mansion set ablaze, the mystery of who killed the family continues, with no public signs of a possible motive.

Keith Caneiro, 50, was found shot to death in a yard on his property after firefighters rushed to a raging fire at his $1 million-plus Willow Brook Road home early on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. His wife, Jennifer Caneiro, 45, and the couple's children, Jesse, 11, and Sophia, 8, were found killed inside the residence.

The mystery deepened Wednesday when authorities charged Keith's brother, Paul, with aggravated arson for setting his own Ocean Township home on fire early Tuesday morning. At the time he set the fire, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni has charged, Caneiro's wife Susan and his two daughters were inside house.

Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni offered no possible motive and declined to identify any potential suspects in the horrific killings, which has stunned the wealthy suburb. It is still unclear if the fire at Paul Caneiro's home was related to the homicides some ten miles away. 

Members of the Caneiro family could not be reached Wednesday. Neighbors could offer no explanation for the arson, painting a portrait of Paul Caneiro as friendly and low-key.

Who is Paul Caneiro?

Paul Caneiro doesn't have any previous criminal convictions, according to court records.

Neighbors described the family as nice and sociable. One neighbor also said Paul was a gun owner who sometimes visited the shooting range at the Old Bridge Rifle and Pistol Club. No one answered the phone at the club Wednesday morning.

Three neighbors outside the Caneiro home Wednesday said they were shocked by the charges filed against Paul.

"I mean, we're all shocked," said one neighbor, who did not want to be named. "This is unexpected."

Another neighbor, who also asked not be named, said Paul Caneiro and his wife, Susan, were at the home early Tuesday shortly after the predawn fire.

Paul appeared to be upset and left later in the morning, the neighbor said.

"He said it must've been a gas leak, he had tears in his eyes," another neighbor said. "Susan was devastated. He said, 'I'm in complete shock I can't believe this is happening to me.' They were here until about noon."

It's unclear where Paul Caneiro went after leaving his house.

What is known is that he was charged around 5 a.m. on Wednesday with the aggravated arson offense and then booked at the Monmouth County jail. A first court appearance for Caneiro has not yet been set. 

In a statement to CNN, Paul Caneiro's attorney, Robert Honecker, said: "My client maintains his innocence on this charge and any other potential charge. His family fully support his defense of this charge. No evidence has been produced that suggests a reason why he would engage in such conduct. He fully expects to be vindicated when this case finally resolves."

What was the relationship between the two brothers? 

A picture has begun to emerge of two brothers from Brooklyn who lived a more-than-comfortable life with their families near the Jersey Shore, where they managed several businesses together.

The office space occupied by Square One and EcoStar Pest Management. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Keith Caneiro is listed as the owner of both the technology firm, Square One, and EcoStar Pest Management in Asbury Park, working both businesses with his brother. Both firms are housed in office space above The Speakeatery restaurant, in a stately brick building updated with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Cookman Avenue.

Two small signs placed next to a door to the office space are the only indicators of the businesses' presence in the building.

Keith had operated Square One since 1987, according to his LinkedIn profile. Notably, however, the technology company has a limited online presence and no active website. Also unexplained is why both businesses seem to have few, if any, other employees other than the Caneiros.

A profile of the business in the Asbury Park Press said Paul Caneiro was his brother's first employee and eventually become the company's director of technical services. 

Jared DeVincenzo, who works at Marketing Genome on the floor above the pest business and Square One, said Paul Caneiro was helpful when they suffered a break-in last year -- but he too offered little hint at a possible motive for the arson or if there was any trouble between the brothers.

"Paul was very nice with helping us with the recovery but other than that he's pretty quiet," DeVincenzo said Tuesday.

Paul Caneiro's house in Ocean Township. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

What happens next? 

In Colts Neck, hundreds gathered Wednesday night to mourn the family.

The same evening, the prosecutor's office confirmed the medical examiner office had positively identified the remains of the two children found in the house as those of Jesse and Sophia Caneiro.

A source told NJ Advance Media that federal officials are currently not involved in the investigation, although ATF's Newark Division indicated on social media that its arson investigators were assisting with the Willow Brook Road fire probe.

County and local investigators were still combing through the scene in Colts Neck as of Thursday morning.

While the medical examiner has conclusively pinpointed multiple gunshot wounds as the cause of Keith Caneiro's death, which has been ruled a homicide, investigators have yet to determine how Jennifer Caneiro and her children were killed.

At least one of the children had stab wounds, a law enforcement source told NJ Advance Media, but as of Wednesday night no weapon had been recovered from the scene.

If additional state charges are filed in the case, any defendants charged would not make an initial court appearance any earlier than Friday, as state courts are closed Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Vinessa Erminio, Ted Sherman, Noah Cohen and Thomas Moriarty contributed to this report.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Despite suspicion of a possible link to the murders of his brother and his wife and kids, Paul Canerio's lawyer says he'd cause them harm Watch video

The lawyer for the New Jersey man whose brother was among four slain at their sprawling Colts Neck mansion earlier this week, which was set ablaze in a suspicious fire, said his client would ultimately be exonerated.

Paul Caneiro, police photo

Paul Caneiro, 51, of Ocean Township, has been charged with aggravated arson for allegedly setting his own Ocean Township home on fire early Tuesday morning with his wife and two daughters inside, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

His wife and two daughters were unharmed.

Hours later, however, firefighters rushed to a raging fire at the Colts Neck home of Paul Canerio's bother, Keith, who was found dead of gunshot wounds in the front yard. His wife and two kids were dead inside.

All four were killed - murdered - before the fire was set, authorities have said.

However, despite mounting suspicion, Paul's lawyer proclaimed his client's innocence.

"His family fully supports him ... It is our firm belief that my client will be exonerated when the case is finally resolved," said Ocean Township-based defense attorney Robert A. Honecker Jr., a former top prosecutor in the Monmouth prosecutor's office.

Paul, who has not been charged in the homicides but charged for aggravated arson in the fire at his own home, remains in the Monmouth County jail in Freehold. He is scheduled to appear at a detention hearing on Wednesday, according to Honecker.

Honecker said at the hearing, he will ask the judge to release Paul.

"The only charges that are currently pending in the aggravated arson of his own residence," Honecker said. "There are no charges that are filed against him in any other matter, and any connection to what happened in Colts Neck is pure speculation."

Honecker said that anyone who knew Paul "would attend that he loved his brother and would not do anything to harm to him."

"They were best friends ... his brother was his best man at his wedding, and they talked to each other every day," he added.

Keith, 50, was found shot to death in the yard of his property on Willow Brook Road after firefighters rushed to the raging fire at the home midday Tuesday. His wife, Jennifer Caneiro, 45, and the couple's children, Jesse, 11, and Sophia, 8, were found killed inside the residence.

No charges have been filed in the homicides as detectives investigate.

'We still have each other.' Colts Neck mourns family of 4 found killed after fire

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page, "Helping the Caneiro Family," has been created, apparently by a friend of one of Paul Caneiro's daughters.

It says that while the killings are making national headlines, "What you have not heard about is the state that the rest of the family has been left in as a result of this tragedy."

"The surviving Caneiro family has lost their family members that they loved dearly...Not only are they dealing with the tragic loss of their family, they also have nothing and nowhere to go. They have lost their home and all of their belongings. The news doesn't cover the fact that the family is on their own right now."

The page's creator did not immediately respond to a message through the site.

The detention hearing Wednesday for Paul Caneiro will be before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge James J. McGann.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Fish species that were scarce or entirely absent from certain waterways for years soon began showing up again.

Billions of dollars have been spent on the recovery from Superstorm Sandy to help people get their lives back together, but a little-noticed portion of that effort is quietly helping another population along the shoreline: fish that need to migrate from coastal rivers out to the sea and back.

After the 2012 storm, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spent nearly $11 million on a series of projects to remove dams and other blockages from coastal waters in six states, partnering with local environmental groups. Fish species that were scarce or entirely absent from those waterways for years soon began showing up again.

The so-called "aquatic connectivity" projects in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia were part of a $105 million effort not only to fix what was damaged by Sandy, but also to improve environmental conditions in places where recreational benefits could help tourism and the economy, as well. While the storm did its worst damage in New York and New Jersey, its effects were felt in many states along the East Coast.

"The idea was not only to do good things for fish and wildlife, but to provide community benefits and make communities more resilient," said Rick Bennett, a scientist with the Fish and Wildlife Service in Massachusetts. "By removing dams, you also reduce flooding, especially upstream."

Aquatic species benefiting from the work include the Eastern Brook trout, sea run brown trout, sea lamprey, American eel and river herring.

One of the first and most successful projects happened in Spring Lake, New Jersey's Wreck Pond. For years, the conflicting goals of protecting the environment and some of the New Jersey shore's priciest real estate from storms have bedeviled the pond.

Storms sometimes open a channel between the 48-acre tidal pond and the ocean, but governments keep sealing it shut to protect homes from flooding. The result was poor water quality and much narrower access to the ocean, which hurts fish that travel from ocean to pond to breed.

The American Littoral Society oversaw construction of a concrete culvert between the pond and the ocean to make it easier for fish, including herring, to reach the sea. In addition to letting fish in and out more easily, the culvert can be opened or closed as needed during storms to control flooding.

It succeeded at both goals, said Tim Dillingham, the group's executive director.

"The restoration of connectivity to allow fish to return and spawn has been a great success," he said. "We're seeing fish come back in numbers we hadn't seen before. And it has also added to the resiliency of the area during storms, by adding capacity to deal with flooding."

Other similar work includes:

-- The 2016 removal of the Hughesville Dam on the Musconetcong River in New Jersey. In just a few months, an American shad was found upstream of the former dam site, which environmental officials say could be the first to make it that far since the dam was built in 1889.

-- The removal from 2013 to 2018 of the West Britannia Dam in Taunton, Massachusetts. Within months, an underwater camera spotted a river herring using the fish ladder at Lake Sabbatia, the first one of its species to enter the lake in 200 years, the wildlife service said. Before spawning season was done, at least 1,200 herring swam through.

-- Removal of 10 dams in Rhode Island and Connecticut that helped restore fish populations to the Pawcatuck, West and Jeremy rivers, and the Whitford Brook, allowing fish species including alewives to return in greater numbers.

-- The removal of the Centreville (2015) and Bloede dams (started in September 2018) along the Corsica and Patapsco rivers Maryland to help the movement of eel and river herring, and reduce flooding.

-- The 2016 restoration of part of Dewey's Creek in Dumfries, Virginia, that became clogged with sediment during Sandy.

Two other dam removal projects on the Coonamessett River in Falmouth, Massachusetts, and the Chester River in Millington, Maryland, are just getting underway.

The feds will monitor conditions and the resulting benefits to communities for the next five years.

Visitation and services have been set for Dec. 2.

Funeral services will be held next weekend for the four family members found slain on their Colts Neck estate after a suspected arson fire tore through their home. 

Keith Martin Caneiro, his wife Jennifer Caneiro, and their two children, Jesse and Sophia, were all killed and their Willow Brook Road mansion set ablaze on Nov. 20.

A memorial gathering will be held Dec. 2 from noon until the funeral services begin at 3 p.m., according to Holmdel Funeral Home.

The tragedy has shocked the largely affluent community as investigators have yet to disclose a possible motive. 

Keith Caneiro's brother, Paul Caneiro, has been charged with aggravated arson for attempting to set his own home on fire on the same day, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office has said. His wife and two children were inside the house, but survived the fire, authorities said.

A spokesperson from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said Sunday no new charges had been filed. No one has been charged in the killing of the four Caneiro family members. 

Keith Caneiro, 50, was the CEO of Square One, Co. in Asbury Park, according to his obituary. He earned his undergraduate and master's degree from Columbia University.

Jennifer Caneiro, 45, was a graduate of the University of Albany who was active in the local PTO, her obituary said. 

Jesse, 11, and Sophia, 8, both attended the Conover Road School in Colts Neck. Jesse was a part of the school's recreational sports program, while Sophia was a member of the Girl Scouts, their obituaries said. 

Donations be sent to Reach Out and Read or Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness, Research & Support.

The funeral home is located on 26 S. Holmdel Road in Holmdel.

Erin Petenko may be reached at epetenko@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @EPetenko. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Pets throughout New Jersey await adoption from shelters and rescues.

Here is this week's collection of some of the dogs and cats in need of adoption in New Jersey.

We are now accepting dogs and cats to appear in the gallery from nonprofit shelters and rescues throughout New Jersey. If a group wishes to participate in this weekly gallery on nj.com, please contact Greg Hatala at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

Traffic was being detoured on Monday morning, but Route 33 reopened around 8:45 a.m.

A section of Route 33 in Neptune Township has reopened Monday morning after a police investigation forced both directions to be closed. 

RT 33 is closed between Wayside and Green Grove Rd due to an ongoing investigation. Traffic is being detoured, use alternate routes. #NeptuneTraffic pic.twitter.com/n3gOkZCVLQ

-- Neptune Township PD (@NeptunePolice) November 26, 2018

Police had the highway shut down between Wayside and Green Grove roads. The highway was reopened around 8:45 a.m. 

A Neptune Township police spokesman couldn't immediately be reached for additional information. 

The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said there was a criminal investigation underway. 

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A state horse racing association claims in legal filings that Monmouth Park was improperly prevented from implementing sports betting by a judge's order in 2014 Watch video

The New Jersey racetrack that led the push to overturn a federal sports betting ban isn't giving up in its attempt to get monetary damages from the sports leagues that opposed the effort.

A state horse racing association claims in legal filings that Monmouth Park was improperly prevented from implementing sports betting by a judge's order in 2014.

The Supreme Court allowed states to pursue sports gambling this year.

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The New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association wants the payment of a $3.4 million bond the leagues posted in 2014.

The association also wants roughly $140 million in damages, which it claims is lost revenue between 2014 and this year.

A federal judge rejected that argument this month, but last week the association appealed the ruling.

Jahmere K. Presley was found dead on Route 33 in Neptune

A 20-year-old man was killed early Monday in Neptune, authorities said. 

Jahmere K. Presley, of Neptune, was found dead shortly before 1 a.m. on Route 33, a spokesman for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said. 

The spokesman did not immediately say how Presley was killed. 

Earlier in the day, the Neptune Police Department said on Twitter that Route 33 was closed between Wayside and Green Grove roads for a police investigation. 

The road was reopened just before 9 a.m.

No additional information was immediately available. 

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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A coalition opposed to plans by Manhattan-based iStar said plans would hurt the environment and hinder beach access

Following a public outcry, Asbury Park officials and the city's designated waterfront developer have agreed to revisit elements of a 2002 redevelopment plan that residents, environmentalists and advocates for beach access say is outdated following 16 years of steady growth and increased crowding.

Giving opponents of several projects slated for the city's north end something to be thankful for this holiday week, a meeting has been scheduled for Nov. 30 between city officials and iStar, the Manhattan-based designated "master developer" under the Waterfront Redevelopment Plan. iStar's vice president for development land use, Brian Ceripka, said the developer was open to changes in the plan.

"Although several meetings were held with city officials to discuss and revise the plans for the approved public infrastructure improvements now taking place on the north end, we are certainly willing to come back to the table to discuss the project," Ceripka said in a statement.

Ceripka said iStar will also launch a website providing information on the company's projects in Asbury Park.

Asbury Park Mayor John Moor and Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn confirmed that they and fellow council members would meet with iStar a week from Friday. 

"We are happy that iStar has decided to come back to the table to discuss the North End development," Quinn said in an email. "We are hopeful that we can work together to make this boardwalk work for everyone and take into account the changes in Asbury Park from 2002-2018."

At its Nov. 8 meeting, the council unanimously approved a resolution demanding that iStar halt work on the north end and renegotiate the redevelopment plan, after a large crowd turned out at the meeting in opposition to several iStar projects envisioned under the plan.

Opposition coalesced last month under the name Save Asbury's Waterfront after iStar's abrupt removal of a four-block stretch of straight, 25-foot-wide boardwalk between Convention Hall and Asbury Park's northern border with Loch Arbor.

As it stands, the redevelopment plan calls for replacing the boardwalk with a narrower walkway that would meander through a patch of sand dunes. Other beachfront projects on the north end also opposed by the coalition include a 15-unit townhouse complex known as Bradley Cove, a paved parking lot of more than 100 spaces where a gravel lot had been, and a private pool club.

Opponents say the impervious surface created by the lot and condos would add to storm water runoff polluting the ocean, while the narrower boardwalk, pool club, townhouses and dune area would deprive the public of valuable towel space on the beach and curb real or perceived access to the ocean.   

Quinn said the council had reached out to the Save Asbury's Waterfront coalition for a detailed list of the group's concerns ahead of the Nov. 30 meeting with iStar. 

An organizer of the coalition, Kathleen Mumma, sent Cheripka a conciliatory email on Tuesday morning welcoming his statement, referring to iStar as "the critical partner in the city's revitalization."

In the message, Mumma said the coalition hoped to "maximize social inclusion" and  beach access for residents and visitors, abide by current coastal development guidelines, be sensitive to various environmental concerns, and be transparent.

"I applaud iStar's willingness to come back to the table to revise the north end's infrastructure plans," Mumma wrote.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook

The Middletown woman was thrown from the car after it struck another vehicle around 1:30 a.m. in Woodbridge

An 18-year-old New Jersey woman was killed and two others seriously injured in a multi-vehicle crash early Monday that partially closed the southbound Garden State Parkway for about seven hours, causing extensive delays.

Nicole Smith, of Middletown, was a passenger in a Dodge Charger that rear-ended a Nissan Rogue near milepost 132.6 in Woodbridge around 1:30 a.m., State Police said. The Dodge then struck a guard rail, a tree and overturned as Smith and a second passenger were thrown from the car. 

N.J. man was driving 'erratically' in crash that killed 9-year-old in his car, cops say

That passenger and the driver - both 20-year-old women from Middletown - were hospitalized with serious injuries following the crash, Trooper Alejandro Goez said. 

The drivers of the Nissan and third vehicle, which was hit by a tire that flew off the Dodge, were not injured.

The investigation continued through the morning rush as at least one lane and the entrance to the Colonia Service Area was shut for about seven hours. Traffic was backed up for about eight hours before State Police re-opened the lanes around 8:30 a.m. 

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The cat party don't start until she walks in.

The party at the cat cafe don't start until she walks in. 

Asbury Park was paid a visit by pop star Kesha this past Friday, and the visit was heavy on cats.

Kesha spent time at Catsbury Park, a local cat cafe, this past Friday according to The Asbury Park Press. Cafe owner DJ Bornschein told The Asbury Park Press that Kesha was there for about two hours.

"She's a true cat lover," Bornschein told the Asbury Park Press. "We sat and talked for over an hour about all of our cats and sharing cat stories and photos. She told me about how she recently rescued a kitten in need from Japan.

The owner directed her to a cat named Kahlua.

Kesha proceeded to post a video of Kahlua on Instagram.

Kesha has performed recently in New Jersey, at PNC Bank Arts Center this past July and at Atlantic City's Ocean Resort Casino on Nov. 16.

View this post on Instagram

Met Kahlua at the Catsbury Park cat cafe today and she stole my [?][?][?][?] !!!!!!! calling anyone near Asbury Park or jersey area to come give this sassy lady a good forever home !!!!! She's CUUUUUUTE @catsburypark check it out!!!!!

A post shared by Kesha (@iiswhoiis) on Nov 26, 2018 at 10:23am PST

But the party don't stop, no.

Kesha's also got a tiger tattoo at Electric Tattoo in town as well and thanked the shop on social media for the ink.

View this post on Instagram

@robertryan323 @electrictattoonj thanks for the tiger! Robert, you're the best [?]

A post shared by Kesha (@iiswhoiis) on Nov 26, 2018 at 2:24pm PST

It's unclear why Kesha opted to spend Black Friday in Asbury Park, but it seems to us a better choice than, say, pursuing doorbuster deals at Kohl's. The singer has performed twice recently in New Jersey: at Holmdel's PNC Bank Arts Center this past July and at Atlantic City's Ocean Resort Casino on Nov. 16.

Jeremy Schneider may be reached at jschneider@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Schneider. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Paul Caneiro had been scheduled to appear in court on a charge accusing him of setting fire to his own house

The court appearance for the brother of a Colts Neck man found dead with his family in a quadruple homicide at their mansion last week has been delayed.

Paul Caneiro, 51, had been scheduled to appear in Monmouth County Superior Court Wednesday for a detention hearing on an aggravated arson charge accusing him of setting fire to his own house while his wife and two daughters were inside. 

On Tuesday, officials said it had been pushed back to Friday at the request of Caneiro's attorney, Robert Honecker Jr. 

Honecker did not immediately return a phone call from NJ Advance Media. 

Paul Caneiro, police photo

Caneiro, of Ocean Township, was charged with one count of aggravated arson the day after his brother, Keith Caneiro, was found shot to death outside his smoldering estate on Willow Brook Road in Colts Neck, authorities have said.

Inside the house, authorities located the badly burned bodies of Keith Caniero's wife, Jennifer, 45, and two of their children, Sophia, 8, and 11-year-old Jesse.

Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said the family was "targeted" but has not offered any information on suspects or a motive.

A law enforcement source told NJ Advance Media that at least one of the children's bodies had stab wounds.

Authorities responded to the Colts Neck blaze around 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 20.

Earlier that day, around 5 a.m., firefighters in Ocean Township, approximately 12 miles south of Colts Neck, were called to a fire on Tilton Drive in the Wayside section of town.

Authorities contend Paul Caneiro used gasoline to set his house on fire while his wife and two daughters were inside.

Honecker previously told NJ Advance Media that he expects his client "will be exonerated when the case is finally resolved."

Gramiccioni, speaking at a press conference announcing the arrest of Paul Caneiro, said detectives continue to explore leads that both fires are connected, but stopped short of saying he was a suspect in the Colts Neck homicide.

Honecker said any connection to Paul Caneiro and what happened in Colts Neck is "pure speculation."

Caneiro is facing between five and 10 years in state prison on the aggravated arson offense. 

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Can you guess which? Hint: It's in Monmouth County.

It's 2018 and more than 100 craft breweries have hopped up all over the Garden State, but this one is the very best -- at least according to Thrillist. 

The website picked "The Best Craft Brewery in Every State" and gave the honor here to the much-loved Kane Brewing in Ocean Township.

Michael Kane quit a Wall Street job to follow his dreams and started brewing in 2011. It's been gangbusters ever since. 

Says Thrillist: "Kane started as a small brewery relentlessly focused on quality and devoted to self-distributing to New Jersey bars and restaurants to ensure beer excellence. In 2018, it's... still doing that, albeit on a bit of a larger scale thanks to everyone wanting to drink its beer."

The website lauded "The Sunday Brunch," an imperial milk porter with maple, cinnamon, and coffee, as "way too good to actually be confined to just one day of the week," and also gave props to Kane's ever-popular Head High IPA.

You may know Kane as the N.J. brewery where people literally line up for the release of a certain beer -- crowds abound for the Morning Bell, the brewery's you-can-only-get-it-once-a-year imperial milk stout brewed with neighboring Rook Coffee's dark roast Sumatra.

What's your favorite N.J. craft brewery? Tell us in the comments. 

Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The sweep, dubbed "Operation Trading Post," focused on individuals accused of trafficking child pornography online.

Editor's note: This story was updated to include a brief statement from a Princeton University spokesperson and a statement from an attorney representing Alexander Ecock.

A Princeton University director, a former member of the Environmental Commission in Atlantic Highlands and a high-level manager at ING Financial Markets were among 14 people arrested in a massive child pornography sweep in Monmouth County, officials announced Wednesday.

The sweep, dubbed "Operation Trading Post," operated between June and October, and focused on the trafficking of child pornography online.

"It is incumbent on everyone, particularly those of us in law enforcement, to protect children from harm and exploitation. To that end, Operation Trading Post caught individuals who shamelessly viewed and shared depraved images of children being sexually abused," Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said in a statement announcing the arrests.

All 14 defendants were charged with third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in state prison and parole supervision for life. Some of the defendants received second-degree endangering offenses and will face up to 10 years in prison.

One defendant, William McMahon, 64, of Keansburg, made plans to meet what he believed was a 14-year-old boy online, authorities said. He was charged with luring, a second-degree offense, and one count of attempted sexual assault.

McMahon's attorney, Brian Goldenfarb, declined to comment.

Here are the names of the defendants who were arrested:

Jonathan F. Marshall, an attorney representing Balbosa, Torres and Wu, said, "We're working diligently to defend the charges."

Attorneys for the other defendants either declined to comment or were not immediately available for comment. 

NJ Advance Media reporter Paige Gross contributed to this report.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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The update will come just over a week after the Caneiro family was found slain after a massive fire tore through their home

Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni has scheduled a Thursday morning press conference to announce an update on last week's quadruple homicide in Colts Neck.

The update will come just over a week after Keith Caneiro, 50, his wife, Jennifer, 45, and the couple's two children, 11-year-old Jesse and 8-year-old Sophia, were killed before a massive fire tore through their Willow Brook Road mansion. 

It also comes a week after Caneiro's brother, Paul Caneiro, was charged with aggravated arson for allegedly setting fire to his own Ocean Township home, hours before authorities responded to the Colts Neck blaze. 

Authorities contend Paul Caneiro, 51, used gasoline to light his Tilton Drive house ablaze while his wife and two daughters were inside. They were not harmed. His attorney has maintained his client's innocence and said Paul Caneiro loved his family. 

Gramiccioni, at a press event last week announcing the arrest of Paul Caneiro, said detectives continue to explore whether both fires are connected. 

He said Caneiro family was "targeted" but that it was an isolated incident and there's no threat to the public. 

The Thursday announcement is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Keith Caneiro, his wife and their two young children were found slain last at their burning home in Colts Neck last week

A 51-year-old Ocean Township man was charged Thursday morning in the slaying of his younger brother, sister-in-law and his niece and nephew, all of whom were found dead after a fire at their Colts Neck home last week.

Paul Caneiro

Paul Caneiro is charged with four counts of murder in the killing of his brother, Keith Caniero, 50, Jennifer Caneiro, 45, and the couple's two children, according to online court records. Their bodies were discovered Nov. 20 after authorities responded to a fire at their massive Colts Neck estate. 

Caneiro was also charged with possession of a firearm and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, according to warrants entered into court records shortly before 6 a.m. Thursday. A knife and gun were seized by authorities as part of the investigation, according to the criminal complaint.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office has scheduled a press conference Thursday at 11 a.m. to announce an update in the case. 

Keith Caneiro was found with a gunshot wound outside his smoldering mansion on Willow Brook Road, authorities have said. 

Jennifer Caneiro and the couple's two children, Jesse, 11, and Sophia, 8, were found inside the $1.5-million dollar home, according to authorities. 

A law enforcement source has told NJ Advance Media that at least one of the children's bodies was found with stab wounds. 

Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni had previously said the family was "targeted," but hadn't offered any information on a possible motive. 

Hours before authorities responded to the Colts Neck blaze, authorities allege Paul Caneiro set fire to his own Tilton Drive house in the Wayside section of Ocean Township while his wife and two daughters were inside. They were able to escape unharmed. 

Fatal Colts Neck mansion fire: Timeline of a tragedy

Neighbors told NJ Advance Media the following morning that Paul Caneiro appeared visibly distressed, with "tears in his eyes," after the fire broke out before dawn at his house. Caneiro was arrested on an aggravated arson charge in the fire at his house and has been in jail since Nov. 21. A hearing in that case had been scheduled for Wednesday, but was delayed until Friday. 

His attorney, Robert A. Honecker Jr., said previously after the initial arson charge was filed that his client is innocent and "will be exonerated when the case is finally resolved." 

Honecker said in a text message Thursday morning that he is reserving comment for after the prosecutor's press conference. 

Keith and Jennifer CaneiroKeith Caneiro's Facebook page 

Keith Caneiro purchased the family's home on Willow Brook Road in Colts Neck in 1999, according to Monmouth County property records. He and his wife paid off the $1.8 million mortgage two years ago.

Paul Caneiro bought his home in the Wayside section of Ocean Township in 1997, property records show. 

The brothers were originally from Brooklyn and moved down to Monmouth County where they partnered in a tech business based in Asbury Park. A pesticide business was also operated out of the same Cookman Avenue office. Police seized multiple electronic devices including cell phones and computers during the investigation, according to the criminal complaint. 

Keith was the best man at Paul's wedding in 1991, according to a wedding announcement in the Staten Island Advance.

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Funeral services for the Caneiro family are planned for Sunday at Holmdel Funeral Home. The Caneiro children who died attended the Conover Road School in Colts Neck.

Jesse was in fifth grade and also played baseball for the town team, the family obituaries say. Sophia was a cheerleader and Girl Scout in the third grade. 

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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