Jury in Prominent Down Under Homicide Trial Tours Beach Where Deceased Was Found

Wangetti Beach scene
The remains of Toyah Cordingley were found on a remote beach in northern Queensland back in 2018.

Members of the jury involved in a widely publicized Queensland homicide case have been taken to the remote beach where the victim was located.

Toyah Cordingley was multiple times attacked with a bladed weapon and placed in a shallow resting place with little or no hope of surviving, the court has been told.

The remains were discovered by a family member the next day on Wangetti Beach – a section of coastline between the popular destinations of Cairns and Port Douglas.

Rajwinder Singh, 41, has pleaded not guilty to killing Ms Cordingley on a weekend in October 2018 in Far North Queensland.

Court Inspection to Crime Scene

The panel of 10 men and two women plus three alternates attended the location along with the judge and legal counsel on Monday morning local time.

In a acknowledgment of the hot climate and sweltering heat, Justice Lincoln Crowley wore a casual top, athletic wear and sneakers rather than traditional court attire.

Both the prosecuting and defence barristers chose casual shirts, bottoms and baseball caps.

Location Particulars

The jurors were guided around 1.2km north up the sand to observe where Ms Cordingley's remains were discovered.

Upon arrival, as they arrived by bus, four markers indicated where the vehicle had been parked.

The visit was intended to help the jurors become familiar with key locations in the trial and no official evidence was given.

Background of the Case

Previously, the Cairns Supreme Court was informed that the following day Ms Cordingley's remains were discovered, Mr Singh departed from Australia to India – leaving behind his spouse, family and relatives.

He was out of contact until he was apprehended four years later, the state said.

Court officials at the beach
Justice Lincoln Crowley with barristers and other personnel at Wangetti Beach.

State Argument

It is alleged that Mr Singh, who was working as a nurse in the town of Innisfail, south of Cairns, had a altercation with Ms Cordingley.

The victim was discovered wearing a bikini, with all her other clothes and most of her possessions absent.

Those objects were taken by the assailant to conceal evidence, the prosecution allege.

Her pet, Indie, which Ms Cordingley had brought along for a walk, was found secured to a post concealed in bushland about 100 feet from the grave.

No murder weapon was ever recovered, and no eyewitnesses have been identified.

But the state says the crown's case – though indirect – was comprised findings that indicated Mr Singh "excluding other suspects."

This will involve evidence that genetic material recovered from a object at the location was extremely more probable to have come from Mr Singh than a unrelated individual of the population.

The jury has already heard testimony indicating that Ms Cordingley's mobile device left the scene after the incident – and that its movements corresponded with those of a vehicle belonging to the defendant.

Mr Singh's sudden departure from Australia also suggested his guilt, the prosecution has claimed.

Defense Position

"While authorities were finding Toyah's body, he was arranging... a hurriedly arranged single journey back to India," the prosecutor said previously as he began arguments.

The defense is yet to present any evidence, but in his opening address, Mr Singh's barrister the lawyer portrayed his client as a "placid" and "caring" man, who was in the "incorrect location at the unfortunate moment."

He also hinted at testimony to come subsequently that, after his arrest, Mr Singh told an plainclothes agent he had seen two masked men assault Ms Cordingley and then had fled in terror – something he said was his "biggest mistake."

The defense attorney has also said he will testify about individuals "identified and unidentified" who should come under suspicion.

Additional Testimony

Ms Cordingley's partner, Marco Heidenreich, whom authorities excluded as a person of interest, was one who testified previously.

The court heard he was an initial police suspect – and that he had faced questions from Ms Cordingley's parent about whether he was involved in his girlfriend's vanishing, prior to her body were discovered.

Images showing the witness on a hike with a friend on the date Ms Cordingley went missing have been shown to the court, with an expert saying he was confident the pictures were genuine and had not been doctored in any way.

The case will resume to the standard environment of the courtroom on Tuesday.

Elizabeth Harper
Elizabeth Harper

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