Andre Rebelo, 30, sentenced to 25 years in prison for the 2020 murder of his mother, Colleen Rebelo, is challenging his conviction in the Western Australia Court of Appeal this week. He was found guilty by a jury after his mother was discovered dead in her Perth home in May 2020. Despite the verdict, Rebelo has maintained his innocence and is making a final effort to overturn the ruling.

Colleen Rebelo’s death initially did not raise suspicions among first responders, who described it as sudden and unexpected. Extensive autopsy testing failed to determine a definitive cause of death, leaving some ambiguity. The defense is arguing that an underlying health condition, which the coroner could not exclude, was responsible.

During the appeal, Rebelo’s legal team will present evidence from his youngest brother, Fabian, who said that the water was still warm when he found Colleen in the shower. This testimony is intended to challenge the prosecution’s claim that Andre staged the scene.

The investigation took a turn after an insurance employee raised concerns following pressure from Andre Rebelo regarding a life insurance claim he filed on his mother’s policy. In the days leading up to Colleen Rebelo’s death, Andre had taken out three life insurance policies on her, with a potential collective payout exceeding $500,000. He was named the sole beneficiary of the only policy that offered a payout. His repeated inquiries to the insurer about claim progress, combined with efforts to forge medical and death certificates and a voicemail impersonating his mother’s psychologist, aroused suspicion.

These irregularities prompted the insurance company to alert police, who began investigating the claim as potentially fraudulent. Subsequently, the fraud squad developed a theory that Andre Rebelo may have killed his mother to collect the insurance money.

Andre Rebelo was previously in a relationship with Gracie Piscopo, a social media influencer with over one million followers. The couple often showcased a luxurious lifestyle online, though reports indicate Rebelo was facing financial difficulties. He had abandoned university studies and his job at a local supermarket to support Piscopo’s career, while also incurring significant debt as a failed cryptocurrency trader. Despite the public portrayal of wealth, Rebelo promised Piscopo a large financial windfall that never materialized. Piscopo has not been implicated in any criminal activity related to the case.

As the appeal proceeds, the court will examine whether sufficient doubt exists about the cause of Colleen Rebelo’s death and whether the conviction should be upheld.