Panel of Jurors in High-Profile Australian Murder Trial Visits Shoreline At Which Deceased Was Found

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

Jurors overseeing a widely publicized Australian murder trial have been taken to the remote beach where the victim was discovered.

The 24-year-old victim was multiple times stabbed with a bladed weapon and placed in a sandy resting place with minimal chance of survival, the court has been told.

The remains were discovered by her father the following day on Wangetti Beach – a stretch of shoreline between the tourist centres of Cairns and Port Douglas.

The accused, 41, denies murdering Ms Cordingley on a Sunday afternoon in October 2018 in Far North Queensland.

Jury Inspection to Crime Scene

The jury of 12 individuals plus three back-up jurors attended the beach along with the judge and legal counsel on Monday morning local time.

In a nod to the hot climate and sweltering heat, the judge wore a casual top, athletic wear and sneakers rather than a wig and robes.

Both the prosecuting and defense attorneys chose casual shirts, bottoms and headwear.

Scene Details

The court members were guided around three-quarters of a mile along the beach to observe where Ms Cordingley's remains were uncovered.

Upon arrival, as they traveled to the site, four markers indicated where the vehicle had been left.

The trip was designed to help the panel become acquainted with important sites in the trial and no official evidence was given.

Context of the Case

Previously, the Cairns Supreme Court heard that the day after Ms Cordingley's body were discovered, Mr Singh flew from Australia to India – leaving behind his wife, three children and parents.

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

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

Prosecution Argument

It is claimed that Mr Singh, who was employed in healthcare in the town of Innisfail, south of Cairns, had a confrontation with Ms Cordingley.

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

Those items were removed by the assailant to conceal evidence, the prosecution contend.

Her pet, Indie, which Ms Cordingley had taken to the beach for a stroll, was located secured to a tree concealed in bushland about 100 feet from the grave.

The weapon was ever recovered, and no one have been identified.

But the state says the evidence – though indirect – was comprised proof that indicated Mr Singh "and eliminated others."

This will involve evidence that genetic material recovered from a object at the scene was extremely more probable to have originated from Mr Singh than a unrelated individual of the public.

The jury has already heard testimony indicating that Ms Cordingley's phone departed the beach after the incident – and that its movements matched those of a vehicle owned by the defendant.

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

Defence Position

"While authorities were finding Toyah's remains, he was organizing... a rushed single journey back to India," Mr Crane said last week as he began arguments.

The defense is yet to present any evidence, but in his opening address, the defense attorney the lawyer portrayed his client as a "placid" and "caring" man, who was in the "incorrect location at the unfortunate moment."

He also foreshadowed evidence to come later in the trial that, after his arrest, Mr Singh informed an undercover officer he had seen two masked men assault Ms Cordingley and then had run away in terror – something he said was his "gravest error."

Mr McGuire has also said he will testify about individuals "identified and unidentified" who should come under investigation.

Additional Testimony

Ms Cordingley's partner, the witness, whom police quickly ruled out as a person of interest, was among those who gave evidence previously.

The court was informed he was an immediate police suspect – and that he had faced questions from Ms Cordingley's father about whether he was implicated in his girlfriend's disappearance, prior to her remains were found.

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

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

Deborah Rodriguez
Deborah Rodriguez

A seasoned travel writer and photographer with a passion for uncovering hidden gems and sharing authentic stories from around the globe.