A mobile phone believed to belong to the man charged with murdering Karlie Pearce-Stevenson was in the Belanglo State Forest near the spot where the single mother's remains were found, police will allege.
Daniel James Holdom appeared via video link at Maitland Local Court on Thursday, charged with the murder of Ms Pearce-Stevenson, five years after her remains were found dumped in the notorious forest south of Sydney.
Police on Thursday also revealed they now believe Ms Pearce-Stevenson was killed a short time before her daughter Khandalyce Pearce was murdered.
The remains of the toddler were found in July, dumped on the side of a highway more than 1000km away in South Australia.
Holdom has not been charged in relation to Khandalyce's death.
It's understood police have been able to trace a telephone belonging to Holdom via pings off mobile phone towers in the Belanglo State Forest, which put the phone near the location where Ms Pearce-Stevenson's remains were found, at about the time of her death.
Police believe she was murdered on either December 14 or December 15, 2008.
At a media conference in Sydney before Holdom's first court appearance, Detective Superintendent Mick Willing said Ms Pearce-Stevenson "sustained certain injuries to her body" but refused to add details as investigations are ongoing.
Det Supt Willing said police believe the Alice Springs mother, who was last seen alive in Charnwood in Canberra, was murdered before her daughter.
"We believe that Khandalyce was murdered at some point after Karlie but we are trying to establish the exact time," he said.
"Now we know that others have knowledge of what occurred to Karlie and Khandalyce and we need those people to come forward. The time to do that is now."
Asked if his client had indicated if he had known Ms Pearce-Stevenson, lawyer Peter Cleaves replied: "No."
Holdom, 41, did not apply for bail and it was formally refused, with Mr Cleaves, later saying "extensive" enquiries would be necessary before a plea could be determined.
"He'll await advice," Mr Cleaves said outside the court.
Mr Cleaves said he had spoken with Holdom for about 20 minutes.
Holdom, who was dressed in matching shirt and trousers and had short-cropped hair, said little during his brief appearance.
A request by Mr Cleaves for Holdom to not appear was refused by Magistrate John Chicken.
"Given the nature of the charge ... I think it's appropriate he be brought on screen," Mr Chicken said.
The court appearance came after police on Tuesday revealed Ms Pearce-Stevenson's identity, bank account and mobile phone were used for years after her death to mislead family and defraud social services.
Her skeletal remains were discovered in August 2010 in Belanglo State Forest.
Inquires are continuing into the murder of her daughter, aged two at the time of her death.
The toddler's remains were found with a suitcase close to a highway near the town of Wynarka, about 130km east of Adelaide.
Holdom will next appear in Sydney's Central Local Court on November 12.
