Qld man denies murdering estranged wife

A 59-year-old man has denied murdering his estranged wife who was beaten and choked while taking out rubbish at her Gold Coast hinterland home.

Andrew John Cobby is accused of murdering Gaylene Cobby, who was known as Kym, outside her Worongary home in November 2017.

He pleaded not guilty at the start of the trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Cobby and 51-year-old Ms Cobby had been separated for many years at the time of her death.

Her bloodied body was found about 11pm on November 12 by her ex-brother-in-law Craig Eden near the road at the end of the long driveway of the house where they both lived, prosecutor Philip McCarthy told the jury in his opening address.

At first Mr Eden - who had been married to Kym's sister - didn't recognise the mother-of-three.

"Kym Cobby had been choked, asphyxiated, and left for dead," Mr McCarthy added.

He said the jury would hear a locked red Chrysler Cobby borrowed from his flatmate that evening was found near the body.

The jurors would also hear audio from a neighbouring home's security camera of a woman start screaming about 11pm.

Mr McCarthy said the prosecution would suggest in the recording the woman could be heard screaming "Andrew, please", the screaming continued and it abruptly stopped.

"The Crown contend that the recording you will hear in this court room is of the last moments of Kym Cobby's life as she is killed," Mr McCarthy added.

Within hours of arriving at the scene officers found Ms Cobby's estranged husband outside a nearby house.

He told police Ms Cobby had called him as she feared for her safety.

The trial will hear evidence of blood on his jeans and shirt that contained Ms Cobby's DNA, Mr McCarthy said.

Cobby admits being there with Ms Cobby, but says he ran away into the bush when they were both assaulted by an unknown assailant, barrister Tony Kimmins told the jury.

Cobby says the pair had been investing money with others, but there had been a falling out.

Mr Kimmins said Ms Cobby had complained she and family members had been threatened by people associated with the investments.

This included a report to police less than a month before she died.

"The real question is ... have the prosecution established beyond reasonable doubt that Andrew Cobby killed Kym Cobby?" Mr Kimmins said.

He argued the jurors will have "great problems" in coming to that conclusion.

The jury is set to hear from more than 50 witnesses over at least three weeks before Justice Peter Callaghan.