Jury in High-Profile Down Under Homicide Trial Visits Beach Where Victim Was Discovered

Wangetti Beach scene
The remains of Toyah Cordingley was discovered on a secluded beach in Far North Queensland back in 2018.

Members of the jury overseeing a high-profile Queensland homicide case have traveled to the remote beach where the young woman was discovered.

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

The remains were discovered by her father the next day on Wangetti Beach – a section of shoreline nestled between the popular destinations of Cairns and Port Douglas.

The accused, 41, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Cordingley on a weekend in October 2018 in Far North Queensland.

Court Inspection to Beach

The jury of 12 individuals plus several alternates attended the location along with the judge and barristers on the start of the week local time.

In a nod to the hot climate and temperatures above 30C, Justice Lincoln Crowley opted for a casual top, athletic wear and sneakers rather than a wig and robes.

Both the prosecuting and defense attorneys selected polo shirts, bottoms and headwear.

Scene Details

The jurors were guided around three-quarters of a mile north up the sand to observe where Ms Cordingley's body were discovered.

Earlier, as they arrived by bus, several red and white cones indicated where the vehicle had been left.

The visit was designed to help the jurors become acquainted with key locations in the trial and no testimony was presented.

Background of the Case

Last week, the Cairns Supreme Court heard that the following day Ms Cordingley's body were discovered, Mr Singh flew from Australia to India – leaving behind his spouse, family and parents.

He was not heard from until he was arrested years after, the state said.

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

Prosecution Argument

It is claimed that Mr Singh, who was working as a nurse in the community of Innisfail, near Cairns, had a confrontation with Ms Cordingley.

The victim was discovered wearing a swimwear, with her attire and most of her possessions missing.

Those items were removed by the killer to conceal evidence, prosecutors allege.

Her dog, Indie, which Ms Cordingley had taken to the beach for a stroll, was found secured to a tree concealed in shrubland about 100 feet from the burial site.

No murder weapon was ever recovered, and no one have been found.

But the prosecution says the crown's case – though circumstantial – was comprised findings that pointed to Mr Singh "excluding other suspects."

This will include evidence that genetic material obtained from a stick at the location was extremely more probable to have come from Mr Singh than a random member of the population.

The court has already heard testimony indicating that Ms Cordingley's mobile device departed the beach after the incident – and that its travel matched those of a blue Alfa Romeo owned by the accused.

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

Defence Position

"While authorities were discovering Toyah's remains, he was organizing... a hurriedly arranged one way trip back to India," the prosecutor said last week as he began arguments.

The defense is has not provided testimony, but in his initial statement, Mr Singh's barrister Greg McGuire described his defendant as a "placid" and "compassionate" man, who was in the "incorrect location at the wrong time."

He also hinted at evidence to come subsequently that, after his arrest, Mr Singh told an undercover officer he had seen assailants attack Ms Cordingley and then had fled in terror – something he said was his "gravest error."

Mr McGuire has also said he will testify about other people "identified and unidentified" who should come under suspicion.

Further Testimony

Ms Cordingley's boyfriend at the time, the witness, whom police excluded as a person of interest, was among those who testified previously.

The court heard he was an immediate person of interest – and that he had been interrogated from Ms Cordingley's father about whether he was implicated in his partner's vanishing, prior to her remains were discovered.

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

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

Leslie Ruiz
Leslie Ruiz

A tech enthusiast and digital strategist with a passion for exploring emerging technologies and sharing actionable insights.