Jurors in 'Realtor to the Stars' Trial Hear 911 Tapes

By LAURA ITALIANO

Steven Hirsch

TRYING TIMES: Mandy Stein yesterday after testifying at the trial of Natavia Lowery (bottom) in the murder of Linda Stein (top).

"My mom! She's dead, I think! I don't know! Please! Help me! Help me!"

Jurors in the "Realtor to the Stars" murder trial heard the wrenching 911 tape of victim Linda Stein's daughter, Mandy, yesterday.

Mandy Stein, who returns to the stand today, is the first witness to testify against her mother's accused bludgeoner -- Stein's young, pretty and -- prosecutors say -- larcenous, personal assistant Natavia Lowery.

Mandy sat dressed in black and sobbing silently as the tape of her voice was played in Manhattan Supreme Court.

"My mom!" she shrieks on the tape, her voice dissolving into the most pitiable and incoherent of whimpers. "My mom!"

It was the evening of Oct. 30, 2007, and Mandy, 35, a documentary filmmaker from Los Angeles, had just walked into Stein's penthouse apartment at Fifth Avenue and 78th Street.

Stein, 62, was a high-powered residential real-estate agent -- and former manager of punk rock pioneers the Ramones -- who's clientele included A-listers Madonna, Calvin Klein and Angelina Jolie. Another client, Elton John, was a close family friend for decades. Chosen as Mandy's godfather, John sang at a benefit for Stein's breast cancer foundation.

Lowery, 28, a Hunter College business major, had worked for Stein only three months -- and had robbed her of $30,000, sparking the fatal argument, prosecutors say. At first, she didn't recognize the body on the living room floor, the daughter told jurors. The torso and head were covered by a blue velour hoodie. The legs were awkwardly twisted. Below the head lay a pool of black and red blood.

When she realized it was her mother, she dove down, shook the body and found it was hard and cold. Calling 911, she was almost too distraught to talk.

"Ma'am! Ma'am! Speak to me!" the 911 operator, a woman, urged. "You found your mother on the floor?"

"Send somebody!" Mandy is heard whimpering. "Please. Please. Please."

Lead prosecutor Joan Illuzzi-Orbon links Lowery to the brutal murder by her detailed confession, her access to the apartment and the $30,000 Lowery allegedly lifted from Stein's accounts -- thefts that continued even after the murder.

Defense lawyers for the first time publicly yesterday admitted Lowery was stealing from her boss. But they continued to call her confession a lie coerced by cops during a 10-hour interrogation.

They are casting a wide net for alternate murderers, telling jurors Stein had many enemies, that Mandy and sister Samantha were in debt and that roofers had access to Stein's penthouse apartment.

The trial is slated to last a month. Lowery faces up to life in prison if convicted.