Two teenage boys are standing trial in Bendigo after pleading not guilty to the murder of John Bourke.

The court heard the 45-year-old man was found dead in his Derby Road home on July 15, 2018.

Jurors were told the two accused boys were at a house party near Mr Bourke's home on the night of July 14, 2018. The boys, who were underage at the time, were drinking alcohol.

A witness told the court that at about 10pm that night one of the boys had an argument with a girl at the party.

Two witnesses told the court they saw the boy crying with his head down after the argument.

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The court heard one of the witnesses saw the boy punch a backyard fence twice before resting his arms on the fence with his head in his hands.

The same witness told jurors the boy had been drinking Carlton Draught beers during the party and "seemed a bit drunk".

Another witness told jurors some time after the argument she saw the two accused boys leave the party for about 15 minutes.

The witness told the court between 1.18am and 1.20am she called and messaged one of the boys over Facebook Messenger and texted the other boy, but they did not respond.

The court heard the witness saw the boys return to the party not long after her last message at 1.20am.

The court heard the boys told the witness they had been in a fight with a person "down the road" and had kicked a door in.

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The witness told jurors she asked the boys if the person was okay and they told her the person was fine.

The court heard the witness also used a torch on her phone to assess the boys for any signs they had been in a fight.

The witness told jurors she did not see any blood on the boys and did not believe them when they said they had been in a fight.

Another witness told the court she heard the two boys had an argument at the party. A girl was allegedly hit in the face when she tried to stop the altercation.

The court heard the boys left the party with one of the witnesses about 3am.

The witness told jurors the boys asked later that morning to be driven back to the street where the party was held. The witness, the court was told, heard one of the boys say on the drive they attacked the wrong house.

The trial is expected to run for five weeks in Bendigo.

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