A beautiful Hofstra University sorority girl was shot dead during a home invasion early yesterday after a masked gunman stalked her and her twin sister from a bar to their home near campus, law-enforcement sources told The Post.
Andrea Rebello, a 21-year-old junior at the Hempstead, LI, college, pleaded for her life right before the gunman exchanged fire with Nassau County police, officials and witnesses said.
“[Police] drew their weapons and went inside,” said neighbor Frank Pugliese, 19.
FRIENDS REMEMBER VICTIM ANDREA REBELLO
“She was pleading for her life. You could tell she was scared. It was a surreal moment . . . She was pleading — her voice was trembling and she yelled, ‘No, no!’ ”
One neighbor said she heard six or seven shots.
Investigators believe the home invader shot Andrea in the head, and cops then shot and killed the gunman — though that timeline is still under review, a law- enforcement source said.
Investigators released no details about the gunman.
Identification of the shooter was delayed because investigators obtained a search warrant before unmasking or fingerprinting his body, a source said.
Rebello’s night began as a celebration. She was at McHebes bar in Hempstead with friends near midnight, celebrating the end of the school year.
“The whole sorority was at the bar last night,” said Amanda Babyatsky, 22. “The bar was really crowded, and all the sisters were there. They were all out because it’s the end of school.”
Rebello returned to her California Avenue rental with her twin sister, Jessica, Jessica’s boyfriend, John Kourtessiss, and a third woman, Shannon Thomas of Connecticut, when the gunman knocked on their door at about 2:20 a.m.
Someone in the house peeked out a window to see who was there, and the burglar, wearing a ski mask, entered the house and held all four people at gunpoint.
He demanded cash and wasn’t happy with the amount they had, sources said.
“I saw you at the bar drinking. I know you have more money than this!” he snarled, according to a law-enforcement source.
The intruder released Thomas, telling her to go to a nearby ATM and bring back cash.
She drove to a nearby Bank of America branch and called 911.
She told police the man had a handgun trained on her friend’s head in the upstairs bedroom, according to police radio calls.
Cops scrambled to the scene, and they peered in and saw the gunman holding Andrea in a headlock, a law-enforcement source said.
At least one cop went in through the front door and the gunfire began.
“It was about 2 a.m. and I was getting ready for bed when I heard a woman yelling and then one shot,” said Lucia Shu, a 24-year-old Hofstra grad student.
“Then there were continuous gunshots and then after that a man also screamed. We called public safety, and they said do not go out.
“I just thought it was a party where they were just playing around. Now I’m afraid to go out, especially at night.”
Cops recovered a gun at the two-story home, about a half-block from campus.
“It’s my daughter, my baby daughter,” tearful father Fernando Rebello, a landscaper from Westchester, told The Journal News. “I’m so confused. I don’t know what to do.”
Rebello’s godmother said: “There are just no words. They were just great kids. It’s too tragic.”
Anthony Kourtessiss, the father of the surviving twin’s boyfriend, said his son was being questioned by police last night.
“It’s a terrible situation,” Anthony, 48, told The Post. “[Jessica] was very upset, inconsolable right now.”
Agents with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were collecting evidence at the home while the gunman’s body was still inside.
“We’re doing a forensic analysis at this time. We’re going to get to the bottom of what happened,” said Nassau County Chief of Detectives Rick Capece.
The medical examiner will compare bullets recovered from the bodies to the cop’s firearm and the gun found at the scene, a source said.
Hofstra students mourned nearby as condolences poured out on social media. “RIP Andrea Rebello . . . god bless her family during these hard times. RIP :( ” wrote Sheridan Campiglia.
GRIEF: Students gather to mourn yesterday near the home of Andrea Rebello, who was shot dead after a man tailed her to the house and held her, her twin and two pals hostage. (AP)
Additional reporting by Lorena Mongelli, Jennifer Bain, , Natasha Velez and Laurel Babcock