Shivangi Sinha
When prosecutors were building their case against Paul Caneiro and attempting to establish a financial motive for the crimes, they had to piece together numerous aspects of his personal and professional life. One area of interest was his relationship with a woman named Yisel Restrepo, who was considered one of his close friends. Evidence recovered during the investigation led detectives to question her as part of their efforts to better understand Paul’s actions and circumstances. NBC’s ‘Dateline: Slow Burn’ examines this aspect of the investigation as well and shows how Yisel’s testimony helped provide a more complete picture of the events and circumstances surrounding the horrific crime.
Yisel Restrepo Went on Many Trips With Paul Caneiro During Their Friendship
According to her testimony, Yisel Restrepo first met Paul Caneiro at a restaurant in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Over time, the two developed a close friendship. Court proceedings revealed that their relationship allegedly extended beyond friendship, but that aspect was not presented to the jury after the judge ruled that such information could be prejudicial. According to police reports, investigators found a card bearing Yisel’s name inside a backpack recovered from the trunk of Susan Caneiro’s Porsche Cayenne. The backpack also contained several other pieces of evidence that became important to the investigation.
During the trial, the defense argued that Susan was supposedly aware of Paul’s relationship with Yisel and knew about the nature of their connection. In January 2026, during Paul’s trial, Yisel was called to the witness stand by the prosecution and was introduced to the jury as a close friend of Paul’s. Although prosecutors presented evidence regarding their relationship, any alleged affair between the two was not discussed in court. The prosecution introduced records showing that Paul had paid for several trips that Yisel took to destinations including Colombia, Las Vegas, North Carolina, Boston, and New York.
Evidence was also presented indicating that he covered the lease payments for her Audi SUV. Court documents further showed that Paul had searched for real estate listings in Ocean Township, New Jersey, for Yisel and her daughter. Prosecutors argued that he allegedly hoped to eventually live with them. Additional records indicated that Paul paid $2,673 toward an apartment Yisel rented in the Woodshire complex in 2017. However, Yisel testified that she had repaid him for that expense and maintained that it was a one-time instance in which he had temporarily covered her rent.
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Yisel Restrepo Has Not Spoken in Public Since Her Testimony in Court
The last time Yisel Restrepo saw Paul Caneiro was a few days before the November 20, 2018, incident. According to her testimony, the two had met to celebrate her daughter’s birthday. During her time on the witness stand, Yisel conveyed that she knew Paul owned at least one firearm and believed it was possible that he had others as well. She also testified that they had gone to shooting ranges together on multiple occasions to practice. Throughout her testimony, Yisel used a Spanish interpreter because it was her native language and the one in which she felt most comfortable communicating. Since the trial and the intense public attention surrounding the case, Yisel has largely remained out of the public eye. Given the high-profile nature of the proceedings and the speculation that surrounded her involvement as a witness, her decision to maintain her privacy is understandable.
