In the decade they've been friends, Stephanie Dahl never once thought her friend Daniel Heazlewood could be a killer.
Heazlewood, 28, faced Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday charged with the murder of his mother Linda Sidon.
An emotionless Heazlewood said nothing during the brief mention of his case, which was adjourned until November 19.
Ms Dahl was watching from the back of the courtroom and said her friend's arrest on Wednesday had been "full-on".
Heazlewood has been a person of interest for police ever since they ramped up investigations into Ms Sidon's 2009 disappearance.
Ms Sidon - a New Zealand-born part-time cleaner who had a history of anxiety, anorexia and depression - had originally been thought to have committed suicide.
But new leads earlier this year increased police focus on her disappearance.
In August, a five-day search for her body in the Gold Coast hinterland came up fruitless, but Heazlewood's arrest came a day after police had completed a forensic search at the government housing unit where he lived with his mother.
Ms Dahl, who described herself as Heazlewood's best friend, said the developments had been an absolute shock to her.
"Never, ever," Ms Dahl said when asked if she ever considered her friend an alleged murderer.
"Being a friend, I do support him - that's all I've really got to say at the moment."
Ms Dahl refused to comment on whether she had ever discussed Ms Sidon's disappearance with Heazlewood.
Barrister Chris Rosser said his client would be applying for Supreme Court bail and intended to fight the charge.
"He believes in his innocence and that's why it's come as a shock to him," Mr Rosser said outside court.
"It doesn't appear to be a very strong case. It's a circumstantial case."
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