Man charged with murdering his mum struggling behind bars

The son charged with the murder and kidnapping of his mother is having a hard time understanding, his lawyer says.

The man charged with the murder of his mother, remembered by her family as clever and caring, is struggling to understand what is happening, his lawyer says.

Slade Murdok, 30, has been charged with the kidnapping and murder of his mother Wendy Sleeman, who disappeared from her Gold Coast home on January 25.

The 61-year-old’s body was found in the boot of her car parked in a Brisbane unit block two days later.

Mr Murdok was arrested the day before her body was found and charged with a number of offences, including kidnapping. On Tuesday, he was charged with her murder.

“He’s going through his own struggles and being charged with matricide; he’s trying to figure this all out in his head,” lawyer Rodney Keyte told reporters outside court in Brisbane on Tuesday.

“It’s going to take a long time for him to process that information, as it would anyone.”

Mr Murdok has spent the past six days in the Brisbane watch house after he was refused bail last week.

Mr Keyte said Mr Murdok has asked him to look at whether a second application for bail could be submitted in the Supreme Court.

“I have received instructions and we’re going through those instructions at this stage,” he said.

“This is very early stages; his instructions to me is that he has not had any participation or knowledge of this incident.”

Rodney Keyte, lawyer for Slade Murdok, who is charged with murdering his mother Wendy Sleeman, talks to reporters outside the Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Mr Keyte appeared before Brisbane Magistrates Court on his client’s behalf on Tuesday to request a delay in him providing DNA swabs and fingerprints.

“He’s (taken) injury to his hand which is making him struggle to give his fingerprints,” Mr Keyte told the court.

“(The request is) one that would enable him to not give a fingerprint until his hand has healed, but I advised him I don’t think the court can do (that).”

The request was denied.

Mr Murdok also faces charges of unlawful stalking, burglary, assault occasioning bodily harm, kidnapping, attempted arson and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Elanora mother Wendy Sleeman with her much loved labrador dogs.

Ms Sleeman’s brother and sister have asked people to remember her as gentle, funny and caring.

They described Ms Sleeman as a clever woman, with a strong love for labradors, and asked that those who wished to make donations in her memory do so to the Labrador Retriever Club of Queensland.

Mike Sleeman and Meg Sleeman have thanked police for their efforts in the murder investigation.

“We acknowledge the tireless work of the Burleigh Heads CIB in this case,” the pair said in a statement.

“We can now lay our beloved sister to rest. We are profoundly saddened by Wendy’s death.

“In accordance with Wendy’s wishes, there will be no funeral service.

“We will miss our beloved sister forever and ask for you to respect our privacy at this terrible time.”

Slade Murdok, previously known as Jamie Sleeman, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon and charged over his mother’s disappearance. Picture: Supplied

Wendy Sleeman was reported missing from her home after police allegedly found pools of blood there.

Speaking at a media conference on Tuesday afternoon, regional crime coordiantor Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith said it appeared Ms Sleeman had been subjected to traumatic violence but said providing further details would be unfair to her family.

He said Queensland Police had a strong case against Mr Murdok, who has been “maintaining his right to silence” during investigations.

“We’ve found some physical evidence, electronic evidence and other evidence,” Superintendent Smith said.

The matter has been adjourned to Southport Magistrates Court for committal mention on February 14.

Police allege pools of blood were found in Ms Sleeman’s Elanora home.

Emergency crews were called to Ms Sleeman’s Gold Coast home at 3.30pm on Tuesday after she reported a potential break-in.

Officers believe Ms Sleeman may have been inside a blue Honda Jazz that sped away from her home as police arrived.

Police are now searching for a white Ford Laser, which they believe was used by Mr Murdok to travel to the Gold Coast and kidnap her.

Officers are appealing to members of the public who may have seen the vehicle with a registration plate of 483ZPG to alert authorities.

Police found the body of Wendy Sleeman in the garage at a block of apartments in Windsor on Thursday. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

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Originally published as Man charged with murdering his mum struggling behind bars