Perth father Andre Rebelo has been found guilty of murdering his own mother for a million-dollar life insurance payout.
The nearly two-month trial over Colleen Rebelo’s death came to an end today after the jury spent two days coming to a verdict.
Online, the 28-year-old portrayed the perfect life, flash holidays with his influencer girlfriend, expensive cars and a nice house. But in reality the father-of-one couldn’t keep up with what prosecutors described as his “plastic existence” while debt collectors were “circling like sharks” over $40,000 owing.
A jury today found that, desperate to sustain that life, he took the most extreme action, murdering his mother just days after secretly insuring her life to the tune of more than $1 million.
Ms Rebelo was found dead in the shower of her Bicton home in May 2020.
The 58-year-old’s death was deemed unsuspicious for months, her cause of death unknown, before the insurance company raised the alarm when her son tried to make a claim.
The failed crypto trader provided a forged death certificate and impersonated a psychologist.
“She only saw me for general counselling, nothing serious and she most certainly wasn’t suicidal at all,” a woman’s voice said in a fake voicemail played to the court.
“I hope this helps the Rebelos’ claim. Andre has told me about their current financial struggles, so I’m hoping for this to work out for them.”
Rebelo admitted he was at his mother’s Preston Point home the morning she died, keeping it a secret from his siblings and police, because he was “in shock” and “no one asked”.
But it was during this nearly hour-long visit the jury found he killed his mother.
Then-girlfriend Grace Piscopo, who was called as a defence witness in the trial, tried calling him 12 times over that period and sent a series of angry texts when he did not respond.
Rebelo was emotionless as the guilty verdict was read to him but some jurors wiped away tears as the judge thanked them for their service.
The murderer was supported by his father but his three siblings were not in court.
“Yes I do, yes. He’s my son, all my kids I do,” Antonio Rebelo responded outside court when asked if he stood by his son.
He will be sentenced in April.
