Andre Rebelo told murder trial he didn’t tell police he could have been the last person to see his mother alive

A Perth man accused of murdering his mother did not tell police he might have been the last person to see her mother alive because he was in shock, a court has heard.

Andre Rebelo, who is accused of killing his mother Colleen Rebelo in her home in 2020, also said he did not remember whether he told his siblings.

The prosecution claimed that he came home not to drink coffee as he claimed, but to kill his mother.

Mr Rebelo had previously told the court that he had coffee with his mother at her home in Bicton on the morning of April 25, 2020, hours before her body was found.

The court was told the cause of Ms Rebelo’s death could not be determined but the possibility of drowning could not be ruled out.

Prosecutor Brett Tooker asked the 28-year-old if he had told family members that he might have been the last person to see him alive.

He acknowledged that this was important information, and although he denied keeping it from his siblings, he couldn’t say exactly when he told them.

“(It’s) not a topic of conversation that I can remember,” he said.

Defendant ‘not in his right mind’

Mr. Rebelo also said he did not tell the police who arrived at the scene that day.

“I was in shock, the police only asked a few questions,” he said.

“I wasn’t in the right mind.”

Mr Tooker asked Mr Rebelo if he had told the ambulance staff.

Mr Tooker claimed there was an important reason why he did not tell anyone about his 45-minute visit that day.

“The truth is you were there, you killed him and that’s why you didn’t tell them,” Mr Tooker said.

Mr. Rebelo’s response was “No.”

The child is not taken to his mother

He also told the court he couldn’t remember whether he told his then-girlfriend, social media influencer Gracie Piscopo, about having coffee with his mother because it was a “stressful” time.

Mr Tooker said he wanted Ms Piscopo to take her young sons to see their grandmother, but Mr Rebelo wanted to be left alone while he went to his mother.

Mr. Rebelo said he didn’t want to pick him up every time he ran an “errand.”

The prosecution alleged that Mr Rebelo killed his mother so he could benefit from life insurance policies and keep up with the expensive “plastic” lifestyle maintained on social media.

The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to fraud charges related to his attempts to claim insurance.

He claimed that life insurance was a topic of conversation the morning of the day his mother died.

When Mr. Tooker took him to task on this matter, Mr. Rebelo claimed that his mother wanted to make sure the house was paid off and that there was “enough for us kids.”

The prosecutor claimed that this issue was never discussed.

Mr Tooker said he spent a long time explaining that he had been at the house that day to make it appear more innocent.

“No,” said Mr. Rebelo.

The jury trial continues before Judge Bruno Fiannaca.

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