Jury in Prominent Down Under Homicide Trial Visits Beach At Which Deceased Was Found

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

Jurors involved in a widely publicized Queensland homicide case have traveled to the isolated beach where the victim was discovered.

Toyah Cordingley was repeatedly stabbed with a bladed weapon and placed in a shallow resting place with minimal hope of surviving, the court has heard.

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

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

Jury Inspection to Beach

The jury of 12 individuals plus several back-up jurors visited the beach along with the judge and legal counsel on the start of the week local time.

In a nod to the tropical conditions and temperatures above 30C, Justice Lincoln Crowley wore a casual top, sport shorts and sneakers rather than a wig and robes.

Both the lead prosecution and defence barristers chose casual shirts, bottoms and headwear.

Location Details

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

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

The trip was intended to help the panel become acquainted with key locations in the trial and no testimony was presented.

Background of the Trial

Previously, the Cairns Supreme Court was informed that the following day Ms Cordingley's body were found, Mr Singh departed from Australia to India – abandoning his spouse, three children and parents.

He was out of contact until he was apprehended years after, the prosecution said.

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

State Case

It is claimed that Mr Singh, who was employed in healthcare 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 belongings absent.

Those objects were removed by the killer to avoid detection, prosecutors contend.

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 ever recovered, and no eyewitnesses have been found.

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

This will include testimony that genetic material recovered from a stick at the location was 3.8 billion times more likely to have come from Mr Singh than a random member of the public.

The jury has already heard testimony indicating that Ms Cordingley's phone departed the beach after the incident – and that its travel matched those of a blue Alfa Romeo belonging to the defendant.

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

Defence Stance

"While authorities were finding Toyah's remains, he was organizing... a hurriedly arranged single journey back to India," the prosecutor said previously as he opened his case.

The defense is has not provided testimony, but in his opening address, Mr Singh's barrister the lawyer described 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 later in the trial that, after his arrest, Mr Singh informed an plainclothes agent he had witnessed assailants attack Ms Cordingley and then had fled in terror – something he said was his "biggest mistake."

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

Additional Testimony

Ms Cordingley's partner, Marco Heidenreich, whom authorities quickly ruled out as a possible suspect, was among those who gave evidence last week.

The court was informed he was an initial person of interest – and that he had faced questions from Ms Cordingley's father about whether he was involved in his partner's disappearance, prior to her body were discovered.

Images showing Mr Heidenreich on a walk with a companion on the date Ms Cordingley went missing have been presented to the court, with an specialist saying he was confident the pictures were genuine and had not been doctored in any way.

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

Peter Davis
Peter Davis

A seasoned blackjack strategist with years of experience in casino gaming and player education.