Andre Rebelo murder trial: Gracie Piscopo went to court to help her ex-partner and ‘his story became hers’

Mega-influencer Gracie Piscopo came to court to “help and assist” her former partner Andre Rebelo through the evidence she gave at his murder trial, according to the prosecutors, but now “his story has become her story”. As the sensational case of the State of Western Australian vs Andre Zachary Rebelo edges towards a conclusion, prosecutor Brett Tooker turned the attention of his closing address to Ms Piscopo. The social media influencer, model and mother was Mr Rebelo’s lover and partner for seven years — until he was charged with his mother’s murder in 2022. Since then he has been remanded in custody, while she continued her online career and maintained silence over the shocking allegations levelled at the father of her child. That was until she was surprisingly called as a witness for the defence and grilled for days about what she knew — and what Mr Rebelo had told her — in the weeks before and after his mother’s death in May 2020. In her evidence, the 28-year-old said she remembered on that day Mr Rebelo had told her he intended to run errands — including a trip to the post office and a visit to his mother’s house. But that detail was not included in her police statement given four years previously. Mr Tooker challenged Ms Piscopo on the witness stand and on Wednesday, he urged the jury to also question her account. “She came to court to try and help Andre Rebelo, and that is quite understandable,” Mr Tooker said. “She would want Romeo to have a father in his life and would want to help him to the extent that she could. “His story has become her story. And all those other details are her trying to toe the line with Andre’s version of events.” That version of events is that Mr Rebelo did spend time with his mother on the morning of her death, having gone there to take some clothes for his younger brother Fabian. Mr Rebelo told the jury they drank coffee, discussed the house and garden, and his young son before he left the 58 year-old alive and well at around 11.40am. The first he knew of his mother’s death — according to him — was when his brother rang to say he had found her body. Mr Tooker said again today that version was all lies, to go with numerous other lies the 32 year-old had told in the weeks before his mother died, and in the years after. “He lied repeatedly to many people — he is a good liar. He lies easily and he lies often. The evidence establishes he is a liar,” he said. “We know he is a fraudster. He has lied in the witness box, made things up as he went, despite his oath. “Put all those things together, and Andre Rebelo has no credibility whatsoever and you should reject his story.” Mr Tooker also urged the jury to reject any notion that Mrs Rebelo might have committed suicide, listing 30 reasons she had to live. They included her being physically fit and active, her recently complete studies and position on the WA Health Board, her stable mental health, and no evidence of drugs in her system or in her house. “She had many, many years ahead of her. When you consider it, this is not a lady who was looking to end it, she didn’t commit suicide,” Mr Tooker said. No cause of death has ever been ascertained, despite a post-mortem and intensive extra tests. Mr Tooker said one explanation the prosecution would put forward was possible asphyxiation, with reference to injuries to Ms Rebelo’s face and arm. “The state submits a smothering event on the bed with a pillow is one explanation,” he said. “But the state does not need to establish a cause of death, just beyond reasonable doubt that Andre Rebelo killed Colleen Rebelo. “What we need to prove is who did it, not how he did it. Overall, the chances of her dying a sudden and unexplained death are very small. “There is a body of substantial and very powerful evidence that tells us she was killed, and she was killed by Andre Rebelo.” The trial continues, with the defence closing submission scheduled to be heard on Thursday.

Andre Rebelo murder trial: Gracie Piscopo went to court to help her ex-partner and ‘his story became hers’

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