A Huonville man has appeared in court accused of murdering his 85-year-old mother, who he had cared for for several years.
Jason Victor Oates, 55, was charged with murder on Sunday after a Triple Zero (000) call brought police and Ambulance Tasmania to a home in the town’s south around 4:30am.
The woman was found dead in her bedroom.
Oates appeared in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Monday, where his lawyer sought an adjournment without plea.
He was remanded in custody and will return to court on November 2.
Detective Inspector David Gill yesterday said the scene initially appeared normal and there was nothing to suggest a crime had occurred.
Police will allege the woman was smothered by her son.
“There was nothing at that time to point out that a crime had occurred and it was only following conversations with people in the house that it was evident that a crime had in fact occurred,” Gill said on Sunday.
He said the woman was frail and in poor health and Oates had been her carer for a number of years.
The pair had lived together for Oates’ entire life.
