A MAN extradited from Victoria and charged with shooting John Simpson in the head before burying his body in a shallow grave on a Laguna property in April has been refused bail.
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Joshua David Wright, 34, appeared in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday charged with murder and possession of an unauthorised firearm after Homicide Squad detectives successfully applied for his extradition a day earlier.
Mr Wright did not enter any pleas or apply for bail and the matter was adjourned until September 14.
On that date, Mr Wright is expected to be sentenced for a number of unrelated, minor matters, including common assault, reckless driving, driving while disqualified and failing to appear in court.
What started as a missing persons case in April, quickly evolved into a grisly murder after Mr Simpson's body was found in May.
Police initially issued an appeal for information to help locate Mr Simpson, saying he was last seen at an address on Great North Road, Laguna on April 12.
Police and Mr Simpson's family at that time held concerns for his welfare because his disappearance was out of character.
They later said they believed Mr Simpson's vehicle had broken down while he was on his way home.
Police scoured the area and conducted land and water searches in May before Mr Simpson's body was found on a property near where he was last seen on May 16.
After the discovery police said they were awaiting an autopsy to "confirm the identity of the person and the cause of death".
But the fatal injury and the location where the body was found made it clear to investigators that there was foul play involved and the NSW Homicide Squad were called in and established Strike Force Blakely.
On Tuesday, detectives returned to the property where Mr Simpson's body was found and allegedly located three firearms, which were seized to undergo further forensic examination.
Detectives then applied for and were granted an arrest warrant for Mr Wright.
With assistance from the Victoria Police Fugitive Squad, Mr Wright was arrested in Carlton, north of the Melbourne CBD, later the same day.
Homicide detectives travelled to Melbourne on Wednesday where they successfully applied for Mr Wright to be extradited to NSW in Melbourne's Magistrates Court.
He was escorted by detectives on a flight to Sydney on Wednesday before he was taken to Mascot police station where he was charged with Mr Simpson's murder.
Detectives allege the 34-year-old shot Mr Simpson in the head before burying him on a property at Laguna, about 40 kilometres southwest of Cessnock.
Investigations under Strike Force Blakely continue.
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