Son to face trial over houseboat murder

A Gold Coast man accused of stabbing his father and then living off his welfare payments will stand trial for murder.

Nikolaus Blyton, 23, was on Friday ordered to stand trial at the Brisbane Supreme Court following a two-day committal hearing at the Southport Magistrates Court.

Blyton is accused of killing his 66-year-old father Ron Livingstone on the older man's houseboat at Hope Island sometime between November 2 and December 13 in 2011.

Police only became aware of Mr Livingstone's death after a tip-off last June.

A former neighbour of Blyton gave evidence at Friday's hearing, claiming acquaintances of the accused had their suspicions about Mr Livingstone's death for a long time.

"I'd heard a rumour but didn't think it was anything more than that," the woman told the court.

"I didn't think Nik was capable of anything like that."

Blyton's barrister Bruce Walmsley suggested the woman had only aired her suspicions to police after being offered leniency on unrelated drug charges.

Blyton spoke only at the end of the hearing when asked by the magistrate if he had anything to say about the charges or plea.

"Not guilty to murder and that's all," he told the court.

Blyton is also facing charges of theft and interfering with a corpse.

His alleged accomplice Timothy Cairns, facing charges of accessory to murder after the fact, interfering with a corpse and theft, will also stand trial.

The pair are accused of using Mr Livingstone's bank account to withdraw over $5000 in pension payments following his death.

A date for the trial is yet to be set.