Friends have paid tribute to popular Gold Coast dog breeder Wendy Sleeman, whose body was found in a car at a Brisbane apartment complex yesterday.
Her son Slade Murdok was charged with multiple offences after being arrested at Durack in Brisbane’s south on Wednesday afternoon.
The 30-year-old appeared in a Brisbane court on Thursday, where he was refused bail.
Mr Murdok has been charged with unlawful stalking, burglary, assault occasioning bodily harm, kidnapping, attempted arson, and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
The 61-year-old Ms Sleeman was reported missing on Tuesday.
Cath Wardle, treasurer of the Labrador Retriever Club of Queensland, said the news has been devastating for many who knew Ms Sleeman.
“She was a lovely person and well-liked in the labrador land and it’s just so sad,” she said.
“It’s quite a big group of people but now most people know everybody once you’re in the labrador world.
“I’ve been getting comments from our members saying how terrible it is.”
She said Ms Sleeman’s dogs are being looked after by a close friend.
Ms Wardle added she would propose some kind of memorial to Ms Sleeman at the club’s next meeting.
“We’ll have to look at getting a perpetual trophy in memory of her, or a show in memory of her, we’ll have to talk about that,” Ms Wardle said.
“I want to do something for her, I’m sure all the others will too.”
A fundraiser has also been set up for a memorial bench and plaque for Ms Sleeman at a local dog park.
The organiser of the collection, Joseph Adams, described her as “a beloved Gold Coast ESL teacher, mother, friend, Labrador lover and neighbour”.
“As a humble neighbour and friend, I am asking the community to rally around Wendy, and donate as we have a memorial bench and plaque created in Wendy’s honour at a the beautiful Tallebudgera off-leash dog park here on the Gold Coast,” Mr Adams wrote online.
“Proceeds will go toward the memorial being built in Wendy’s honour as well as a small donation portion will be made to the family to assist Wendy’s beloved dogs.”
‘She was adored by many of us’
Friend Monica Zwolsman — who met Ms Sleeman while they both worked at a local language school – said the last time they spoke was last week.
“I did say to her how things are going and she said it was a long conversation that needed to be had over coffee,” she said.
