Murder accused to remain in custody

A man charged over the murder of a Tamworth mother, whose body has not been found, will remain behind bars.

Troy Jason Ruttley, 45, was on Monday charged with murder after being arrested more than 300km from the Tamworth home where Johann Morgan, 40, was last seen on August 8.

He did not apply for bail before Dubbo Local Court on Tuesday and it was formally refused.

Ms Morgan left home without her wallet and mobile phone, and hadn't accessed her bank accounts since her disappearance.

Her family spent days trying to find her before reporting Ms Morgan missing to police on August 16.

Two weeks after she vanished police found a torched Mitsubishi wagon, which Ms Morgan had access to, on the side of the Oxley Highway, 17km west of Tamworth.

Investigators said in September they believed Ms Morgan may have met with foul play.

Ruttley is due to appear via audiovisual link in Tamworth Local Court on January 4.