Search comes to sad end at unit complex

PHOTOGRAPHS have emerged of the scene at a Brisbane unit complex where a body was found in the boot of a car linked to a missing mother.

A desperate search was underway after police arrived at Wendy Sleeman’s Elanora home to find pools of blood in the bathroom and a fire beginning to take hold.

On Thursday night, however, police found the 61-yearold’s body inside the boot of a blue Honda Jazz, parked an hour’s drive away inside a unit’s garage in the inner-brisbane suburb of Wilston.

Her 30-year-old son, Slade Murdok – previously known as Jamie Sleeman – was arrested on Wednesday afternoon and charged over his mother’s disappearance.

He was refused bail after appearing in court in Brisbane on Thursday on charges of unlawful stalking, burglary, assault occasioning bodily harm, kidnapping, attempted arson and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

The court heard that police will allege Mr Murdok – who has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder – attended his mother’s workplace at Surfers Paradise State School on Tuesday afternoon.

She notified police on her way home from work at 2.40pm to explain her son had tried to contact her.

The court heard that when she arrived at her home – while still on the phone with police – she noticed signs of a potential break in.

Murdok’s lawyer, Rodney Keyte, told reporters outside of court his client claimed he was innocent. Mr Murdok will return to court in February.

APOLOGY

IN a Gold Coast Bulletin article titled ‘Phone call and signs of a struggle’ (27/1/23) Queensland Police South Eastern Region Regional Crime Co-ordinator Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith was quoted about the disappearance of Wendy Sleeman. In the article he was quoted in reference to a phone call between Ms Sleeman and police as saying: “In that case, I think half an hour is an unreasonable time.” The quote should have said that it was a “reasonable time”. The Bulletin apologises to Brendan Smith for the matter.