Brother of crypto trader Andre Zachary Rebelo who is accused of killing their mother for life insurance cash relives horrifying moment he found her in the shower, murder trial hears
The youngest brother of a man who allegedly murdered his mother to gain money from her life insurance has told a court how he pulled his mothers body from a running shower.
The youngest brother of a man who allegedly murdered his mother to gain money from her life insurance has told a court how he pulled his mothers body from a running shower.
Fabian Rebelo, 23, was the first witness to give evidence in his brother Andre Zachary Rebelos murder trial in the WA Supreme Court on Friday.
Andre is accused of killing his mother Colleen Rebelo, 58, who was found dead in her Bicton home in Perths southwest on May 25, 2020 to cash in on three life insurance policies worth $1.5 million in total to help fund his lavish lifestyle.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Fabian found his mothers body in the shower of their home after she failed to pick him up from work and called emergency services.
Fabian recalled when he arrived home he heard the shower running in his mothers ensuite then found her on her knees, slumped over and leaning against the shower wall.
I called out to her and didnt hear anything so opened the door and went in, he said.
I walked into the bathroom and saw that she was obviously not well and leaned up against the bathroom wall.
Andre Rebelo (pictured with his former girlfriend, influencer Gracie Piscopo) is accused of killing his mother Colleen Rebelo, 58, who was found dead in her Bicton home in Perths southwest on May 25, 2020. He has pleaded not guilty
His brother Fabian told the court he found his mothers body in the shower of their home after she failed to pick him up from work and called emergency services
I called triple-0 and performed CPR on her.
Fabian recounted how he pulled his mum out of the shower and dragged her into the middle of the bathroom floor.
He was given instructions to perform CPR on her until paramedics arrived about five minutes later.
He told the court her face was very blue and dark, she had vomity blood in her mouth and her skin colour wasnt normal.
I grabbed a towel and popped it over her private parts. I didnt want her lying there naked, he said.
The paramedics went to the bathroom and tried to revive her and quite quickly realised they werent going to revive her.
Fabian recalled quite a few people came to the house after his mother died including a police officer, his sister Monique, brother Andre and his partner Gracie Piscopo.
He told the court he stayed at Andre and Ms Piscopos Beaconsfield home the night their mother died, along with his sister Monique.
He said around the time his mother died he had a normal relationship with his brother Andrew and they had gotten along fine.
Fabian Rebelo, the youngest brother of Andre Zachary Rebelo, told a court how he performed CPR on his mother but she could not be saved
State prosecutor Brett Tooker (pictured) told the WA Supreme Court that days after Colleen Rebelo died her son Andre started claims on her life insurance policy he had taken out against her in the week before her death.
He told the court his oldest brother Julian was the executor of his mothers will and dealt with the financial side of things after she died.
He believed each of the siblings had an equal share in their mothers estate which they received when they sold her house.
Under cross examination, Fabian told the court he had picked up his mothers body from behind with his arms under her armpits and dragged her onto the bathroom floor.
He confirmed to defence lawyer Anthony Elliott there was a small amount of blood coming from her nose.
On Thursday, the WA Supreme Court had been told Andre Rebelo had taken out three life insurance policies against his mother in the week before her death.
State prosecutor Brett Tooker told the court three days after Ms Rebelo died, her son Andre started the claims process to access the insurance premiums.
The jury heard Andre also submitted forged documents to one of the insurers including false medical information about his mother, a coroners report and her last will and testament.
He pleaded guilty to four charges of fraud in relation to the forged documents.
Ms Rebelos cause of death has never been established.
The court was told while her death was unexpected it was not treated as suspicious by emergency services who were called to Ms Rebelos home when she died.
Police reopened the case when one of the insurers reported the claim against Ms Rebelos life insurance policy believing it was fraudulent about three months after her death.
Fabian told the court all the siblings were beneficiaries of their mothers estate, and received equal shares when her house was sold
The WA Supreme Court was told by the defence that Andre Zachary Rebelo and his former partner Grace Piscopo (pictured) were a successful team at the helm of a social media presence that generated a substantial income
State prosecutor Brett Tooker told the WA Supreme Court that five days after Rebelo took out an insurance policy against his mother, she was found dead in the shower of her home
St John Ambulance paramedic Antony Garcia later told the court Ms Rebelos son Fabian was very upset and shocked when they arrived at the home.
He said Ms Rebelo was lying on her back on the bathroom floor and looked like she had been in the shower because she was damp, wet and looked deceased.
The appearance of her skin, especially around her face and neck, there was blue greyish colour on the skin, it is what we look for when a person has been deceased for some time, he said.
We attached a defibrillator on the chest and looked at the electrical activity of the heartbeat there was nothing ... it was just a flat line.
Mr Garcia said he did not observe any injuries on Ms Rebelos body and they did not find any medication in the house that belonged to her.
He said the house was very clean and tidy, and the bathroom was spotless.
The trial continues.
