A family who reported a woman missing was shocked to learn one of their own is alleged to have murdered her.
Police launched an investigation into the disappearance of a 58-year-old mother of three after she failed to return to her home in Sydney's northwest on Tuesday.
Her son Ante Popovic, 33, has been charged over the alleged kidnapping and murder of his mother, whose body is yet to be found.
Family members told officers they last heard from the woman about 4.50pm on Monday, when she told them she was meeting her son in Winston Hills, in Sydney's west.
"It'll be alleged that they were meeting there to talk about perhaps borrowing some money," Superintendent Barry Vincent said on Friday.
"When the family were informed of the action taken by police yesterday, they were obviously shocked."
He described the woman as someone who looked after her elderly parents and said she was "estranged" from her son.
Her car was found in the suburb where she vanished about 9.30am on Tuesday.
Two days later, detectives arrested Popovic after finding him sitting in a white Toyota Hilux in bushland along Parnell Fire Trail in Tomerong, south of Nowra.
He allegedly had his mother's phone on him, Supt Vincent said.
Popovic was taken to Nowra Police Station, where he was charged with murder and remanded in custody.
The 33-year-old did not apply for bail when he appeared in court on Friday.
The matter will return to Parramatta Court on August 13.
"The body of the woman has not yet been located. Investigations are ongoing," police said in a statement.
