How Allison Baden-Clay died remains a mystery, with an autopsy unable to shed light on the cause of her death, a Brisbane court has been told.
The murder trial of former Brisbane real estate agent Gerard Baden-Clay has heard from the forensic pathologist who conducted the post-mortem examination on his wife.
Mrs Baden-Clay, 43, was found on a creek bank in Brisbane's west on April 30, 2012, 10 days after she was reported missing by her husband.
Dr Nathan Milne told the Supreme Court in Brisbane that when he examined the body on May 1, 2012, it had undergone significant decomposition, including discolouration and loss of soft tissue especially on her face.
"There were no definite injuries (but) certainly the interpretation is limited by the decomposition changes," he told the court.
However Dr Milne said there was a 5cm discolouration on Mrs Baden-Clay's inner chest which could indicate a bruise and if so, it would have been caused by a mild blunt force trauma.
Tests showed she hadn't drowned and it was unlikely she'd fallen the 14m from a bridge above where she was found because there were no sign of fractures or major injuries.
Mrs Baden-Clay had been taking the anti-depressant Zoloft but Dr Milne said the elevated levels of the drug found in her blood and liver were to be expected in a body that was so decomposed.
The pathologist said it was difficult to tell when she died but based on the extent of decomposition it was possible she had been killed 11 days previously or sooner.
The patterns of discolouration and decomposition of her body showed she'd likely been placed where she was found soon after her death.
Dr Milne said he didn't think Mrs Baden-Clay died from natural causes because she had no history of significant disease and the death scene was inconsistent with a natural death.
"I don't know what the cause of death is," he said.
"I don't have any information to be confident about anything as a cause of death."
Gerard Baden-Clay has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife on April 19, 2012.
The trial continues.
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