Ex-soldier not guilty of Qld double murder

A former Australian Army soldier has been acquitted of the murders of his ex-wife and her new partner, a convicted pedophile, on the Gold Coast almost three years ago.

Christopher Robert Carter walked free from the Brisbane Supreme Court late on Thursday after the jury deemed he killed Renee Carter and Corey Croft in self-defence in January 2015.

There were relieved tears from supporters in the public gallery when jurors came into the court shortly after 4pm on Thursday to clear him of all charges.

They had been deliberating Carter's fate since the previous day, having heard evidence Carter went to his former wife's Upper Coomera home to talk to her when she "came at (him) with a knife".

"She was f***ing telling me that she was going to kill me," Carter told the police.

Carter recounted taking hold of the knife and stabbing the woman. When Croft appeared, he turned the blade on him as well, the jury heard.

Ms Carter sustained multiple stab wounds to her head and body, including one to her neck that severed her spinal cord, it was heard.

The trial had heard Mr Croft was convicted in South Australia of a child sex offence.

When Carter first learned about it he was "shocked" and later "devastated" after finding out Mr Croft had been recently accused of sexually abusing a different child, it was heard.

In a brief opening address, defence barrister David Brustman QC told jurors it was not in dispute Carter had killed his former spouse and her new partner.

But he said it was up to them to determine if he was guilty of murder, a different offence, or none at all.

"Killing per se is not murder," he told them.

In his submissions, crown prosecutor Glen Cash urged the jury to reject defences of provocation and self-defence.

Justice Martin Burns discharged Carter following the not guilty verdicts.

Carter did not comment to waiting media as he left the court precinct.