Andre Rebelo trial: Court told of frantic calls on day mum was allegedly murdered by her own son

A series of frantic text messages and phone calls between Colleen Rebelos children and influencer Gracie Piscopo have been revealed in court where her son Andre is standing trial for her murder.


A series of frantic text messages and phone calls between Colleen Rebelos children and influencer Gracie Piscopo have been revealed in court where her son Andre is standing trial for her murder.

The phone records were from the day Ms Rebelo was allegedly murdered by her son Andre Zachary Rebelo in her Bicton home. He has pleaded not guilty to his mothers murder.

The records revealed his then partner Ms Piscopo sent him a series of angry text messages and attempted to phone him several times over a period of 20 minutes on the morning Ms Rebelo was allegedly killed.

ANDWRR YOUR F****** PHOME, WHERR ARE YOU, Omg I swear to god Andre, Do you not have a phone??? What is wrong with you, some of the messages read.

Answer for f*** sake, and Im fuming at you Im so angry.

After a 90 second phone call between Rebelo and Ms Piscopo, the alleged killer texted his mum at 12.38pm asking if she was free to watch his son that day or the next.

About 90 minutes later, Rebelo texted his brother Fabian at 2.08pm saying, Yo theres a bag of my old clothes in the hallway for you dropped them off this morning in case Mum didnt see them.

Fabian responded to his brother Andre saying, Easy cheers.

Andre Zachary Rebelo (left), who has a child with model Gracie Piscopo (right), has been charged with murdering his mother in 2020

Andre Zachary Rebelo (left), who has a child with model Gracie Piscopo (right), has been charged with murdering his mother in 2020

Colleen Rebelo was found dead at her home in the Perth suburb of Bicton on May 25, 2020

Colleen Rebelo was found dead at her home in the Perth suburb of Bicton on May 25, 2020

Fabian tried to call his mother 13 times that afternoon when she failed to pick him up after his shift at a local supermarket, then tried to call his sister Monique.

She attempted to phone her mother a minute later but she didnt answer the phone.

Monique texted her mum asking, Are you all good? Kayla trying to contact you to get her bags.

From 2.21pm there were a series of text messages between Monique and Fabian about whether they have been able to contact their mother.

About 20 minutes later Fabian tried to call Monique then texted her: Its bad theres ablunance here, and Can you come home.

Fabian tried to call Andre then texted him, C. t answer please mum is dead, and Please c. t come home.

From 3.05pm Monique texted Andre, Have you answered Fabians calls DO IT NOW COME RIG NOW TO MUMS NOW, NOWW and NOW.

The court was also told a signal between the mobile phone of Rebelo and an Optus cell tower pointed in the direction of his mothers home on the day she was found dead in her shower.

Optus senior technical specialist Raymond Chang gave evidence in Rebelos murder trial showing the court maps between the accuseds mobile phone signal and Optus base stations on the day his mother died.

One map produced by WA Police showed a signal from an Optus base station in Mosman Park pointing at Ms Rebelos home address across the Swan River in Bicton.

State prosecutor Brett Tooker asked Mr Chang if it would be possible for a signal from a base station on the other side of the Swan River to reach the Bicton home. He said yes.

He told the court it was also possible for a mobile phone to use different base stations while they were inside the same property over an hour if a person moved from room to room.

A police investigation revealed Rebelo set up three life insurance policies against his mother in the week before she died, then started the claims process days after his mothers death.

Andre Rebelo (right), the former partner of Insta-famous model Gracie Piscopo (left), was charged in November over the death of his mum Colleen, 58, in Perth in 2020

Andre Rebelo (right), the former partner of Insta-famous model Gracie Piscopo (left), was charged in November over the death of his mum Colleen, 58, in Perth in 2020 

One of the insurers suspected the claim was fraudulent and reported it to police.

The court was told Rebelo submitted falsified documents to one of the insurers to expedite the claims process, including a forged copy of his mothers last will and testament, a fake copy of a medical report from his mothers psychologist and a fake copy of a coroners report into her death.

Rebelo pleaded guilty to four counts of forgery but has maintained he did not kill his mother.

During the trial, the court was told that Rebelo portrayed a glamorous lifestyle with his partner on social media that was funded by credit cards and personal loans.

The court was told that Ms Piscopo was a successful model and social media influencer, but Rebelo had lived beyond his means and was struggling to repay financial obligations.

Ms Piscopo is not accused of any wrongdoing.

A police investigation led to Rebelo being charged for forgery offences in October 20, 2020.

He declared bankruptcy on March 31, 2022, and was arrested for his mothers murder on November 22, 2022.

Ms Piscopo has remained tight-lipped on her boyfriends charges and was not at his court appearance on Thursday

Ms Piscopo has remained tight-lipped on her boyfriends charges and was not at his court appearance on Thursday

The prosecution has argued Rebelos debts led him to take out three life insurance policies against his mother.

State prosecutor Brett Tooker told the court that when money started coming out of Rebelos account to pay for the premiums he had to act, which is why he killed his mother five days later.

While Ms Rebelos death was sudden and unexpected, it was not treated as suspicious by first responders who attended her home, the court was told.

Her cause of death has never been determined despite auxiliary testing being performed at her autopsy.

Medical experts including Ms Rebelos GP Niall Barrett and endocrinologist Timothy Welborn both gave evidence in the trial, telling the court that Ms Rebelo was healthy when she died.

Both witnesses said it was unlikely Ms Rebelo died suddenly from medical conditions she had been living with at the time of her death.

Forensic pathologist Reimar Junkerstorff performed Ms Rebelos autopsy and told the court that he could not rule out Ms Rebelo dying from asphyxiation or being smothered.

Her sons defence team argued that traces of focal subendocardial interstitial fibrosis found on Ms Rebelos heart meant she could have died from cardiac arrhythmia, causing her to collapse and die suddenly.

The trial continues.

Источник: Daily Online

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