He rejected a prosecutor's description of Darren John Ellis, 37, as "shifty" when interviewed by police.

Instead, Ellis's defence lawyer Peter Chadwick told the court his client was "straightforward" and "emphatic" in his answers, despite being grief-stricken.

Ellis is on trial in the Supreme Court in Melbourne charged with murdering 19-year-old Naomi Marree Bernaldo.

Ms Bernaldo's naked body was discovered wrapped in chicken wire, with black cable ties and weighed down with two rocks and a metal weight in St George's Lake in Creswick on November 2, 2006.

She had been shot in the head and stabbed twice in the chest.

Mr Chadwick yesterday told the court the Crown case had gaping holes.

"Obviously, Naomi was killed and killed by somebody, but whoever it was it wasn't Darren Ellis," he said.

He said no evidence had been presented about when or where Ms Bernaldo had been murdered.

"Darren made no secret of Naomi's departure. It was a matter of considerable conversation and considerable discussion," Mr Chadwick said.

He said the pair had been happy in their relationship and Ellis had no motive for murdering her.

"Her relationship with Darren was there for all the world to see when she had his name tattooed on her left breast," Mr Chadwick said.

"I would suggest to you it was all positive, it was all one way," Mr Chadwick said.

Mr Chadwick said the rocks, chicken wire and cable ties found with Ms Bernaldo's body did not link Ellis to Ms Bernaldo's murder.

"These items were so common they go no distance at all to proving the identity of the killer, let alone the guilt of Darren Ellis," he said.

The trial continues before Justice Paul Coghlan.

A jury is expected to retire to consider its verdict today.