A 25-year-old New Brunswick man is facing charges including first-degree murder in the death of his mother.

The body of 52-year-old Phyllis Roy was discovered Monday after a house fire in the community of Peel, north of Saint John.

The home on Harmon Lane was fully engulfed in flames when emergency crews arrived before 5 a.m.

Fire crews found human remains inside the home after the Hartland Volunteer Fire Department brought the blaze under control.

Police said they were suspicious of the fire from the beginning, after finding “different types of accelerants” in the area.

Shortly after the fire was reported, officers arrested a man inside a church in nearby Wicklow. After being taken into custody, investigators determined he was a suspect in connection with the fire.

Ryan Ernest Roy has been charged with first-degree murderand arson.

He also facing a charge for allegedly breaking into the church. He appeared in Woodstock provincial court Friday morning.

Police confirmed he is the son of the woman whose body was found.

Roy walked with difficulty as he was escorted by sheriffs. His face was bruised and his hands were bandaged.

During the court appearance, no plea was entered and a mental health assessment was requested for Roy.

Roy’s lawyer said the accused isn’t speaking.

“He was just unresponsive,” said lawyer Douglas Smith.

Smith was asked whether that hindered his ability to defend Roy.

“I can't, at all, that's the reason we've got to look into it farther,” Smith said.

Roy was remanded into custody and is due back in court on March 13, at which time his application for an assessment is to be considered.

Police say an autopsy will be done to determine the exact cause of Phyllis Roy’s death.

“That has not yet been done, so all the circumstances surrounding her death and how she died is all details that will be coming out in court,” said RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Chantal Farrah.

Meanwhile, investigators remain on the scene on Harmon Lane, restricting access to what’s left of the burned home.

“We had a major fire, a lot of destruction done, and they're still processing that scene, so that takes time and it's very meticulous work,” Farrah said.

Members of Phyllis Roy’s attended the court appearance on Friday.

Her family released the following statement through the RCMP on Friday:

On Monday, our Family was devastated to learn of the passing of Phyllis. Losing a loved one is always difficult, but to lose someone in such a public way and to learn police believe it was not accidental makes it all the harder.

Phyllis was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and cherished friend. She touched the lives of so many. Phyllis’ heart was filled with love, laughter and commitment to her family. There is not a day that will pass where she will not be remembered for the incredible woman that she was.

We know the police are investigating and information will continue to come forward as they do their investigation. As you can appreciate, this has been and will continue to be a difficult time for our family. Phyllis was loved dearly by us and will be missed.

Thank you to those who have and continue to extend their kindness with us.  We would ask that members of the media respect our privacy during this very difficult time and allow us to grieve in private.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Andy Campbell