Originally published at the Herald Sun:

A man who claimed his wife had been abducted by Islamic extremists last night faced court charged with her killing.

Nasir Ahmadi, 46, is accused of murdering Zahara Rahimzadegan, a mother of two, at their High Street Rd, Ashwood, home on December 16.

A body believed to be that of Ms Rahimzadegan was found yesterday after homicide squad detectives searched the property and arrested Mr Ahmadi.

Det Sen-Sgt Ron Iddles of the homicide squad alleged Mr Ahmadi murdered his wife on December 16. He said the body was found when officers pulled apart a new timber deck at the property.

After digging through soil, they found a layer of concrete which, when broken up, revealed the remains.

Sen-Sgt Iddles said Mr Ahmadi had visited Glen Waverley police station on December 18 to report his wife missing.

He said an investigation led to yesterday’s search and, at 8am, the arrest of Mr Ahmadi.

Sen-Sgt Iddles said Mr Ahmadi was questioned “on and off” yesterday before he was charged.

Dressed in jeans and a striped dress shirt, he responded quietly to questions from the bail justice during last night’s hearing at the Melbourne Custody Centre.

The bail justice remanded him to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Mr Ahmadi spoke out in media interviews this week with allegations his wife had been abducted by Muslim hardliners.

He said she had been the target of extremists because she had helped people of the Islamic faith convert to Christianity.

The couple had come to Australia with their two children as Iranian refugees in 1999.

As well as searching the couple’s property, officers searched an adjacent creek.

Forensic teams were still at the house looking for evidence.