Florida Man Convicted of Second-Degree Murder for Shooting Estranged Wife's Fiancé in Jupiter

Brian Canarelli, 46, was found guilty of second-degree murder for fatally shooting James "Cole" Berger outside a Jupiter, Florida home in June 2021.

Jury Convicts Jupiter Man in Front-Yard Fatal Shooting of Estranged Wife's Fiancé

A Palm Beach County jury found Brian Canarelli, 46, guilty of second-degree murder on Friday for the June 2021 shooting death of 37-year-old James "Cole" Berger, Law & Crime reports. Berger was killed outside his own residence on 98th Trail North in Jupiter, a coastal city roughly 85 miles north of Miami.

The trial began on Sept. 22. Jurors rejected the more serious charge of first-degree murder but returned a guilty verdict on the lesser count. The conviction carries a firearm sentencing enhancement that triggers mandatory minimum sentences under Florida law.

A Predawn Confrontation

Deputies with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene at 2:35 a.m. on June 23, 2021, and found Berger suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to an arrest report obtained by The Palm Beach Post and ABC affiliate WPBF, Canarelli had been called by his estranged wife that day to pick up their son. Berger, her fiancé, was unhappy about the ex-husband's appearance, and an argument broke out. The confrontation escalated quickly.

At one point, Berger jumped over a gate outside the residence — even as the woman was opening it to let her son through to his father.

Competing Accounts of the Shooting

Berger's fiancée told investigators she heard a shot after he jumped the gate. She recalled Canarelli telling her he had shot Berger as she began performing CPR. She stated, however, that she did not witness the gun being fired.

Berger's mother, who was also present that night, offered a more detailed account. She told law enforcement that Canarelli reached behind his back, fired one shot, then walked toward her wounded son and discharged four more rounds.

When deputies arrived, they located Canarelli's Porsche Cayenne parked south of the residence. A pistol was visible on the driver's side floorboard. Investigators recovered six spent 9 mm shell casings at the scene.

Sentencing Pending

Circuit Judge John Parnofiello delayed sentencing at the request of the defense, pending the completion of a presentencing investigation. No sentencing date has been scheduled.

Berger's obituary remembered him as someone whose "presence always lifted the vibe in the room" and who "had a special way of making everyone feel welcome and comfortable." It added: "He had his whole life ahead of him but was robbed of it so malevolently."

Source: Law & Crime