The jury in the high-profile murder trial of Rajwinder Singh has conducted a crucial inspection of Wangetti Beach, the location where 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley was allegedly killed in October 2018.
Scene Examination at Wangetti Beach
On Wednesday morning, the Supreme Court jury traveled to the remote beach location north of Cairns to personally view the area where the tragic events unfolded. The inspection took place around 10am, with jurors walking the same stretch of sand where Ms Cordingley's body was discovered.
Justice Lincoln Crowley accompanied the panel of twelve jurors and two alternates during the site visit. The group spent approximately thirty minutes examining key areas of interest along the beach, including the specific spot where the young woman's remains were found by her father.
The Alleged Murder and International Manhunt
Toyah Cordingley, a pharmacy assistant and animal shelter volunteer from Cairns, was last seen alive on October 21, 2018. She had taken her dog for a walk along Wangetti Beach, approximately 40km north of Cairns, during stormy weather conditions.
When she failed to return home, her family reported her missing, sparking an extensive search operation. Tragically, her father discovered her body on the beach the following day, October 22, 2018.
Rajwinder Singh, then a 38-year-old nurse from Innisfail, became the prime suspect in the investigation. In a dramatic development, Singh boarded a flight to India just days after the alleged murder, initiating an international manhunt that would last nearly four years.
Singh was eventually arrested in New Delhi in November 2022 after a $1 million reward was offered for information leading to his capture. He was extradited to Australia in March 2023 to face trial for murder.
Trial Proceedings and Evidence
The trial began with Supreme Court Justice Lincoln Crowley presiding over proceedings in Cairns. Prosecutors allege that Singh murdered Ms Cordingley during her beach walk, though the specific motive remains part of the court proceedings.
During the scene inspection, jurors were able to observe the beach's topography and understand the spatial relationships between key locations mentioned in evidence. The remote nature of Wangetti Beach and its proximity to the Captain Cook Highway were likely key observations for the jury members.
Such scene inspections are relatively uncommon in criminal trials but can provide jurors with valuable context that photographs and maps cannot fully convey. The experience helps panel members visualize the setting where alleged crimes occurred and assess witness testimony more effectively.
The trial continues in the Cairns Supreme Court following the jury's return from the beach inspection. Further evidence is expected to be presented as both prosecution and defense teams make their cases before the court.
The outcome of this emotionally charged case is being closely watched by the Cairns community and beyond, as friends, family, and supporters of Toyah Cordingley seek justice nearly six years after her tragic death.
