Shivangi Sinha
In November 2018, Bette and Vlassis Karidis suffered the loss of their daughter, Jennifer Caneiro, whom they had raised with love and care. The tragedy also claimed the lives of their son-in-law, Keith Caneiro, and their two grandchildren, Sophia and Jesse. The loss was unimaginable, and it became even more difficult as details of the crime emerged and Paul Caneiro was arrested in connection with the killings. In the years that followed, Bette and Vlassis, along with their other daughter, Bonnie Karidis, became determined advocates for justice. NBC’s ‘Dateline: Slow Burn’ explores how they remained steadfast in their pursuit of accountability and continued to push for justice regardless of how much time passed.
Jennifer Caneiro’s Family Sought Privacy in the Aftermath of the Crimes
Vlassis Karidis was born on the small Greek island of Aegina. As a young man, he dreamed of becoming a soccer player and moved to the US in hopes of pursuing that ambition. Not long after arriving, he met Bette Goldsmith, and the two fell in love. They eventually married and completed their family when their two daughters, Jennifer and Bonnie, were born. Jennifer and Bonnie shared a particularly close relationship and remained each other’s confidantes not just during childhood but well into adulthood. The Karidis family lived a simple life, often traveling back to Greece for family vacations. Vlassis and Bette made a conscious effort to ensure that their daughters developed a strong appreciation for their Greek heritage and cultural roots.
In the early 1990s, when Jennifer began her relationship with Keith Caneiro, the Karidis family welcomed him with open arms. Bonnie, in particular, came to view Keith as a brother and developed a close relationship with him over the years. When Jesse and Sophia Caneiro were born, Vlassis and Bette were thrilled to become grandparents and doted on their grandchildren at every opportunity. To them, it seemed as though everything they had hoped for in life had fallen into place. However, that happiness was shattered on November 20, 2018, when they learned that Jennifer, Keith, and their two children had been killed in a homicide. The investigation that eventually pointed to Paul Caneiro as the perpetrator made it even more shocking. During that difficult period, the family largely refrained from making public statements and asked for privacy as they mourned their loss.
Vlassis Karidis Passed Away Before the Killer was Convicted, While Bette Karidis Continues to Grieve
In 2020, Vlassis Karidis filed a civil lawsuit against Paul Caneiro in which Corey Caneiro was also named as a defendant. In the lawsuit, Vlassis accused the two brothers of mishandling matters relating to a family trust fund. Corey has never been criminally charged in connection with the homicides and was never considered a suspect in the murders. The civil case remains ongoing. Sadly, Vlassis passed away before Paul was criminally convicted in 2026. During Paul Caneiro’s sentencing in May 2026, Bette Karidis addressed the court and spoke about how her husband had not lived long enough to see his daughter’s killer brought to justice.
Bette stated, “In an act of pure evil, he took the lives of four innocent people, his own flesh and blood, out of greed and selfishness. He disgusts us. He represents the very worst of humanity.” She also urged the court to impose the harshest possible punishment and ensure that Paul spent the rest of his life behind bars. Bette is a graduate of CUNY Brooklyn and previously worked with the New York City Board of Education. Since the incident, she has largely stayed out of the public eye. Apart from her court appearances, she has rarely spoken publicly. The scale of the loss she has endured is difficult to comprehend, and it is impossible to fully imagine the grief and heartbreak she has had to carry in the years since the murders.
Related
Bonnie Karidis is a Director for a Reputed Bank Today
Bonnie Karidis earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business from the University at Buffalo before completing an MBA in Management Information Systems from Saint Peter’s University. She also holds a Project Management Professional certification from the Project Management Institute. Bonnie spent more than a decade at UBS, serving as an Associate Director in Project Management from October 1999 to May 2011. She then joined AIG, where she worked as Assistant Director of Enterprise Risk Management from May 2011 to September 2013 before moving into the role of Assistant Director of Enterprise Finance Transformation, a position she held until March 2016.
From March 2017 to December 2018, Bonnie worked as a Management Consultant at MetLife. In February 2019, she joined MUFG (Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group) as a Director, a role she continues to hold. Based in New York, she has had to balance her professional responsibilities with the immense grief of losing her dear family members. During Paul Caneiro’s sentencing hearing in May 2026, Bonnie addressed the court and spoke about the loving and happy life her sister and her family had built together before it was taken away. She urged the court to impose the strictest possible punishment. In the years since the tragedy, Bonnie has continued to honor Jennifer’s memory and has spoken about how deeply she misses her sister and the family they lost.
You must be logged in to post a comment.