Emergency services were called to a residence on Chestnut Place about 4.20pm on Monday at The Gap in Brisbane's northwest, Queensland Police said.
They said they found a local 79-year-old woman, Cecilia Yoke Webb, with multiple stab wounds across her body and she was declared dead at the scene.
About two hours later, Australian Federal Police arrested her son, 40-year-old Victorian man Alexander Clive Webb, at the entrance of Brisbane Airport's international terminal.
Detective Inspector Michael Jones said the crime scene, in the front yard of a suburban home, was one of the worst he had seen.
"The injuries were quite horrific. She was stabbed multiple times. The scene itself was particularly horrific," he told reporters.
"I've been an investigator for over 20 years and it was one of the worst crime scenes I've seen."
Webb, from the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn, was later charged with one count of murder as a domestic violence offence.
Webb was not in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday when his case was briefly mentioned and his solicitor did not apply for bail.
Det Insp Jones said police would allege that Webb purchased a Japanese cooking knife before travelling to The Gap on Monday and used it to stab his mother multiple times.
"What we have been able to determine is that he did have a plane ticket and he intended to travel to Tokyo," Det Insp Jones said.
"He left The Gap area in an Uber and travelled to an address in South Brisbane. He then caught a second Uber to Brisbane International Airport."Â
Det Insp Jones said he did not know what time Webb's Tokyo flight was due to depart and what his motivation was for booking the ticket.
"(Webb) didn't participate in a record of interview with police," he said.
Det Insp Jones said Webb had an encounter with police a month ago that did not involve an arrest over an incident not linked to the alleged murder.
Police will allege multiple people witnessed parts of events around the death.
"One location he went to they didn't understand what had happened and they offered (Webb) some first aid treatment because he had an injury to his hand."
In court on Tuesday, defence solicitor Rachael Jackson told Magistrate Julian Noud that her client was not required to appear and sought an adjournment to April 14.
Mr Noud asked Ms Jackson if she needed more time.
"I'm just wondering whether I should go out further," he said.
The police prosecutor did not oppose adjourning the case for extra time.
Mr Noud adjourned the matter to April 22 in Brisbane Magistrates Court and remanded Webb in custody, noting there had been no application for bail.
Defendants charged with murder in Queensland must apply for bail in the Supreme Court.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
17°C