The harrowing final moments of the 24-year-old woman who was beaten to death at a New York night club during Lil Kim’s birthday party were revealed in court Friday during the suspect’s arraignment.

Syed Rahman, also 24, was charged Thursday with second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of life in prison if convicted. He’s due back in court on Wednesday (Aug. 13).

Rahman, who had worked at the club for four years and had no previous criminal record, confessed to smashing Ingrid Rivera over the head at about 2:45 a.m. Monday during the Lil’ Kim event that the victim had paid to attend, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. Rivera’s body was discovered Wednesday afternoon stuffed inside of a utility room on the club’s roof.

The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide Thursday after an autopsy found that Rivera died from a “blunt impact trauma” to the head and that “incised wounds to the neck” cut her carotid artery.

Police said Rivera was a Lil’ Kim fan who arrived at the Spotlight Live club around 9:30 p.m. with a bouquet she had hoped to give to the rapper. During the evening, she and her friend spoke with Rahman while drinking at the bar.

Later in the evening, Rivera was kicked out of the club for accidentally entering the men’s rest room, police said. Rivera’s friend said that around the same time, Rahman lured her to the roof by claiming Rivera was there. When the friend rebuffed the suspect, he located the victim outside and “told her he could get her back in,” Kelly said.

He took Rivera in through the employee entrance, then up to the roof in a service elevator, police said. Once there, he beat her inside a utility shed, killing her instantly, police said. The man left the club at around 3 a.m., even though he was scheduled to work until 5 a.m., and went to Central Park and slept for a few hours, police said.

Police said that after Rivera’s mother reported her missing on Tuesday, officers went to the club on Wednesday to examine security videotape and conduct a floor-by-floor search of the five-story building. After they left, a repairman doing work at the club stumbled upon Rivera’s body tucked away in the utility shed.

Officers tracked down Rahman on Wednesday at an upper Manhattan apartment he shares with his parents.

Rivera was the only daughter of Ingrid Estrada, a customer service agent at John F. Kennedy International Airport for British Airways. Five of Rivera’s family members were at Friday’s arraignment for Rahman, “crying profusely,” according to TMZ.com.

The club issued a statement expressing its condolences to Rivera’s family. “We are shocked by this terrible tragedy and our hearts go out to Ingrid Rivera’s family and friends. We are grateful to the New York Police Department for arresting a suspect in this crime. We continue to cooperate with police and answer any questions they may have,” the club said.

Lil’ Kim’s spokesman, Ronn Torossian, said in an e-mailed statement that Wednesday night was “the first (she) has heard of this matter.”