Paul Dalton has pleaded not guilty to murdering Robyn Hall on December 19, 2012, at his brother Matthew's Cape Woolamai holiday house on Phillip Island.

The Crown claims Mr Dalton attacked and killed Ms Hall at the Lantana Road house before transporting her body to an unknown location and disposing of it.

Ms Hall's body has never been found.

Matthew Dalton told the jury on Wednesday his brother had been very close to their mother, Robyn, and when she passed away in 2007 he had her name tattooed on his neck.

He said his brother was not violent and when they were growing up after their father left them, Paul was "the extroverted strong person, so he kind of took the lead role in the family".

He did not know Paul had been using the Cape Woolamai house, which had been on the market in December 2012.

Crown prosecutor Mark Rochford, QC, told the jury that Mr Dalton attacked Ms Hall on the verandah, and the injuries she suffered caused significant blood loss.

"While she was bleeding and either dead or dying, she was dragged through the garage with her heels along the ground," Mr Rochford said.

"She was placed on the floor before being dragged into the rear storage area and laid on the gravel floor and covered by cardboard boxes."

Mr Rochford said police began investigating Ms Hall's disappearance after her family and friends raised concerns about her welfare.

The Cape Woolamai house was examined on the night of January 24 last year, and police used luminol spray to detect traces of blood on the verandah.

"The search of the perimeter of the property showed there was evidence of a trail of blood located in the driveway leading to the main entrance," Mr Rochford said.

"There was no evidence of forced entry into the house ... On the verandah adjoining the main entry, apparent blood was located under the door.

"There were strong indicators of blood on several floorboards. In the garage there was further evidence of blood with drag marks leading to the rear storage area.

"Several lengths of decking on the verandah had been recently replaced."

The prosecutor said that a day after the alleged murder, Mr Dalton registered a pre-paid Optus mobile service at TeleChoice in Cranbourne and put the SIM card into Ms Hall's mobile phone before using it as his own.

He also went to a timber and hardware store in Cowes to buy a number of pieces of timber to replace the decking he had allegedly removed at the Cape Woolamai house.

After his arrest, Mr Dalton told police he had argued with Ms Hall about telling their respective partners about their affair but he denied killing her.

The trial, before Justice Lex Lasry, continues.