The ex-husband and daughter of Perth woman Annabelle Chen, whose body was discovered in a suitcase, have made brief appearances in court accused of her murder.

Key points: Murder charges come three months after Ms Chen's body found in suitcase

Murder charges come three months after Ms Chen's body found in suitcase Same daughter who reported her missing is charged with her murder, along with Ms Chen's ex-husband

Same daughter who reported her missing is charged with her murder, along with Ms Chen's ex-husband Police say Ms Chen was killed in her Mosman Park home

Ah Ping Ban, 65, and Tiffany Yiting Wan, 25, were charged last night after a three-month investigation into the death of the 57-year-old Mosman Park woman.

Her body was found in a suitcase floating on the Swan River in July by a local fisherman, but her identity remained a mystery until she was reported missing by Wan earlier this month.

Ban and Wan appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court separately.

They were not required to plead to the murder charge and were remanded in custody until they appear in court later this year.

Three-month investigation culminates in double arrest

Ms Chen's death sparked a massive investigation by police, and it was two months before they were able to identify her remains.

According to police, Wan did not report her missing until September 2, saying she had not seen media reports about the case.

Annabelle Chen's body was dumped in a suitcase in the Swan River. ( Supplied: WA Police )

Wan had been living in Melbourne.

Police Senior Sergeant Tom Mills said in a media conference today they believed Ms Chen was killed in her home.

Ms Chen was divorced from Ban who police said had homes in Singapore and Malaysia.

She moved to Perth with her daughter after the split, in 1999.

Sergeant Mills said the investigation was difficult because Ms Chen was a very private person.

"The public appeals that we made played a significant role in relation to locating specific evidence, in relation to Annabelle's death and also prompting the memories of a number of people who provided us with very crucial information," he said.

He said international and national law enforcement agencies played a role, but Ban and Wan were both arrested in Perth.

Ms Chen spoke multiple languages including Mandarin and Cantonese, and was an artist. She was an Australian citizen.