Police called off the search for 61-year-old Wendy Sleeman on Thursday afternoon when they recovered her body from a blue Honda Jazz parked inside the garage at Windsor, in the city’s inner north.

Her son, 30-year-old Slade Murdok, was earlier refused bail on a string of domestic violence-related charges, including kidnapping, assault, stalking and attempted arson.

Sleeman had been missing since Tuesday, shortly after she contacted police to notify them of a disturbance at her Elanora home.

Officers were unable to intercept the Jazz, which was seen leaving the property at speed.

Sleeman feared for her own safety and believed Murdok might try to kill her as recently as January 23, a Brisbane court heard.

A crime scene was declared at her home after a pool of blood and drag marks were found on the floor.

Murdok had allegedly earlier gone to the school where his mother worked and police say the evidence pointed to the events at Sleeman’s home being planned.

Police said there had been a number of verified sightings of the Jazz on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane before it was recovered from the garage, which investigators said had been recently rented.

Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith said the recovery of the body, believed to be that of Sleeman, was a devastating outcome for her loved ones.

Murdok’s lawyer Rodney Keyte on Thursday argued the case against his client was weak and questioned what evidence tied his client to the scene during a failed bail application.

Murdok is due to return to court on February 14.