Jury retires in Brisbane chef murder trial

A Queensland jury will continue deliberating its verdict for a man accused of the bludgeoning murder of a Brisbane chef more than two years ago.

James Thomas Howell pleaded not guilty to murdering Peter Milos on May 4, 2014, when his trial began last week in the Brisbane Supreme Court.

The jury retired shortly before 11am on Tuesday morning after hearing in the trial the chef's body was found face down at a Morningside property with 14 cuts and scratches to his head and parts of his skull shattered.

In her opening address, Crown prosecutor Vicki Loury said forensic analysis suggested he had suffered "repeated blows with a heavy object using severe force".

The court heard the 26-year-old was beaten with a spirit level found bloodied in the Morningside room and a hammer, which was never located.

Ms Loury told the jurors she couldn't tell them why Howell had killed Mr Milos but said the evidence to be presented would "clearly" point to him as the killer.

But defence barrister Dennis Lynch urged them not to convict Howell based on lies he told to police, telling them someone was not guilty of the crime of murder just because they had lied.

The jury will resume deliberations on Wednesday morning after being allowed to separate overnight.