Panel of Jurors in Prominent Australian Homicide Case Tours Shoreline Where Deceased Was Found

Wangetti Beach scene
The body of Toyah Cordingley was discovered on a remote beach in Far North Queensland in 2018.

Members of the jury involved in a high-profile Queensland homicide case have traveled to the remote beach where the victim was located.

The 24-year-old victim was repeatedly attacked with a sharp object and buried in a sandy resting place with minimal chance of survival, the court has heard.

The remains were discovered by a family member the following day on Wangetti Beach – a stretch of shoreline between the popular destinations of Cairns and Port Douglas.

Rajwinder Singh, 41, denies killing Ms Cordingley on a Sunday afternoon in October 2018 in northern Australia.

Court Inspection to Beach

The panel of 12 individuals plus several back-up jurors visited the location along with the presiding officer and legal counsel on Monday morning in Queensland.

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

Both the prosecuting and defence barristers selected polo shirts, bottoms and headwear.

Scene Details

The court members were led around three-quarters of a mile along the beach to see where Ms Cordingley's body were uncovered.

Earlier, as they traveled to the site, several markers showed where the vehicle had been left.

The trip was intended to help the jurors become familiar with key locations in the case and no official evidence was presented.

Background of the Trial

Previously, the court heard that the day after Ms Cordingley's body were found, the accused flew from Australia to India – leaving behind his spouse, family and relatives.

He was not heard from until he was apprehended years after, the prosecution said.

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

Prosecution Case

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

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

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

Her dog, Indie, which Ms Cordingley had taken to the beach for a stroll, was found secured to a tree hidden in bushland about 30 metres from the burial site.

The weapon was found, and no eyewitnesses have been identified.

But the state says the evidence – though indirect – was made up of findings that indicated Mr Singh "and eliminated others."

This will involve testimony that genetic material recovered from a stick at the location was extremely more likely to have come from Mr Singh than a unrelated individual of the public.

The court has already heard testimony suggesting that Ms Cordingley's phone departed the scene after the incident – and that its travel corresponded with those of a vehicle belonging to the accused.

Mr Singh's sudden departure from Australia also suggested his involvement, the state has argued.

Defence Position

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

The defense is yet to provided testimony, but in his initial statement, Mr Singh's barrister Greg McGuire described his client as a "placid" and "compassionate" man, who was in the "incorrect location at the wrong time."

He also foreshadowed testimony to come later in the trial that, after his apprehension, Mr Singh told an plainclothes agent he had witnessed two masked men attack Ms Cordingley and then had fled in terror – something he said was his "biggest mistake."

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

Further Evidence

Ms Cordingley's partner, the witness, whom authorities excluded as a possible suspect, was one who gave evidence last week.

The trial heard he was an immediate police suspect – and that he had faced questions from Ms Cordingley's father about whether he was implicated in his partner's vanishing, prior to her remains were discovered.

Images depicting Mr Heidenreich on a walk with a companion on the date Ms Cordingley disappeared have been presented to the jury, with an expert saying he was confident the photos were authentic and had not been altered in any way.

The trial will return to the more conventional setting of the courtroom on Tuesday.

Jared Holland
Jared Holland

Elara Vance is a seasoned gaming analyst with a passion for uncovering the best online casino experiences and sharing actionable advice.

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