Inset: Brian Canarelli, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Background: A Google Maps view of the Jupiter, Florida, neighborhood where Canarelli shot and killed his estranged wife’s fiancé.
A Florida man could spend decades behind bars after being convicted of killing his estranged wife’s fiancé in the victim’s own front yard.
On Friday, a Palm Beach County jury found 46-year-old Brian Canarelli guilty of second-degree murder in the June 2021 death of 37-year-old James “Cole” Berger.
Canarelli’s trial began Sept. 22. Jurors declined to convict him of the more serious charge of first-degree murder, but the guilty verdict includes a firearm sentencing enhancement that carries mandatory minimum prison terms under Florida law.
The fatal confrontation unfolded around 2:35 a.m. on June 23, 2021, outside a home on 98th Trail North in Jupiter, a coastal community roughly 85 miles north of Miami.
Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputies responding to the address found Berger suffering from several gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to an arrest report obtained by The Palm Beach Post and Tequesta-based ABC affiliate WPBF, Canarelli’s estranged wife had contacted him that day to pick up their son. Berger objected to Canarelli’s arrival, and the disagreement soon escalated into a physical confrontation.
What began as an argument rapidly became deadly.
Investigators said Berger vaulted over a gate while Canarelli’s estranged wife was opening it so their son could reach his father.
Berger’s fiancée told investigators that she heard a gunshot after he crossed the gate. As she attempted CPR, she recalled Canarelli saying that he had shot Berger, though she said she never saw the weapon.
Berger’s mother, who was also present, described an even more disturbing sequence. She told authorities that Canarelli reached behind his back, fired once at her son, then approached Berger after he fell and shot him four additional times.
Berger’s obituary said he “had his whole life ahead of him” before it was taken from him in a deeply violent act.
The tribute portrayed Berger as a warm, gentle person whose presence made others feel welcome:
Those who knew Cole remembered a man who brought energy and kindness wherever he went. He greeted friends with generous hugs, made people feel comfortable and valued, and preferred a quiet life centered on the simple things. To the people closest to him, he was a gentle giant who believed he already had everything he needed.
The charging document states that deputies found Canarelli’s Porsche Cayenne parked south of the home. A pistol was visible on the driver’s-side floorboard, while investigators recovered six spent 9mm shell casings at the scene.
Circuit Judge John Parnofiello postponed sentencing after the defense requested a presentencing investigation. No sentencing date has been announced.
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