Jury in High-Profile Down Under Homicide Trial Visits Beach At Which Deceased Was Found

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

Jurors involved in a high-profile Queensland homicide case have been taken to the isolated beach where the victim was discovered.

The 24-year-old victim was repeatedly attacked with a bladed weapon and placed in a sandy resting place with little or no chance of survival, the jury has heard.

The remains were found 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, denies killing Ms Cordingley on a Sunday afternoon in October 2018 in Far North Queensland.

Jury Inspection to Crime Scene

The panel of 12 individuals plus several back-up jurors visited the beach along with the judge and barristers on Monday morning in Queensland.

In a nod to the hot climate and sweltering heat, the judge wore a casual top, athletic wear and trainers rather than traditional court attire.

Both the lead prosecution and defense attorneys chose polo shirts, bottoms and headwear.

Location Particulars

The court members were guided around three-quarters of a mile north up the sand to see where Ms Cordingley's body were uncovered.

Upon arrival, as they arrived by bus, several markers indicated where the victim's car had been parked.

The trip was intended to help the jurors become acquainted with important sites in the trial and no testimony was presented.

Background of the Case

Last week, the Cairns Supreme Court was informed that the following day Ms Cordingley's remains were found, the accused departed from Australia to India – abandoning his wife, family and relatives.

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

Court officials at the beach
The judge with barristers and other personnel at Wangetti Beach.

Prosecution Argument

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

The victim was found wearing a swimwear, with her attire and belongings missing.

Those objects were taken by the killer to avoid detection, the prosecution allege.

Her pet, Indie, which Ms Cordingley had brought along for a stroll, was located secured to a post hidden in bushland about 30 metres from the grave.

The 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 include testimony that DNA recovered from a stick at the scene was 3.8 billion times more probable to have come from Mr Singh than a unrelated individual of the public.

The court has already heard evidence indicating that Ms Cordingley's mobile device departed the scene after the killing – and that its travel matched those of a blue Alfa Romeo owned by the defendant.

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

Defence Stance

"While authorities were finding Toyah's remains, he was organizing... a rushed one way trip back to India," Mr Crane said previously as he began arguments.

The defense is has not present any evidence, but in his initial statement, Mr Singh's barrister Greg McGuire portrayed his client as a "placid" and "caring" man, who was in the "wrong place at the wrong time."

He also hinted at testimony to come subsequently that, after his apprehension, Mr Singh informed an undercover officer he had seen two masked men assault Ms Cordingley and then had fled in fear – something he said was his "biggest mistake."

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

Additional Evidence

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

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

Images depicting the witness on a walk with a companion on the date Ms Cordingley went missing have been shown to the court, with an specialist saying he was certain the pictures were authentic and had not been doctored in any way.

The trial will return to the standard environment of the courthouse on Tuesday.

Thomas Cuevas
Thomas Cuevas

An avid outdoor enthusiast and travel writer with a passion for exploring Sardinia's natural landscapes and sharing adventure tips.