Jury in High-Profile Australian Homicide Trial Tours Shoreline At Which Victim Was Found

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

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

Toyah Cordingley was repeatedly attacked with a bladed weapon and placed in a sandy resting place with little or no hope of surviving, the court has heard.

Her body were discovered by her father the next day on Wangetti Beach – a stretch of shoreline nestled between the tourist centres of Cairns and Port Douglas.

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

Court Visit to Beach

The jury of 10 men and two women plus several back-up jurors attended the location along with the judge and legal counsel on Monday morning in Queensland.

In a nod to the hot climate and temperatures above 30C, the judge opted for a casual top, sport shorts and trainers rather than a wig and robes.

Both the lead prosecution and defense attorneys selected casual shirts, shorts and baseball caps.

Location Particulars

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

Upon arrival, as they traveled to the site, several red and white cones showed where the victim's car had been parked.

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

Context of the Case

Last week, the Cairns Supreme Court was informed that the day after Ms Cordingley's remains were discovered, Mr Singh departed from Australia to India – leaving behind his spouse, family and parents.

He was out of contact until he was arrested four years later, the prosecution said.

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

Prosecution Case

It is claimed that the defendant, who was employed in healthcare in the community of Innisfail, near Cairns, had a altercation with Ms Cordingley.

The pharmacy worker was found wearing a bikini, with her attire and belongings missing.

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

Her pet, Indie, which Ms Cordingley had taken to the beach for a walk, was located secured to a post hidden in shrubland about 100 feet from the burial site.

The weapon was ever recovered, and no eyewitnesses have been found.

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

This will involve evidence that DNA obtained from a stick at the location was extremely more likely to have originated from Mr Singh than a random member of the public.

The court has already heard testimony suggesting that Ms Cordingley's mobile device left the beach after the killing – and that its travel matched those of a vehicle belonging to the accused.

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

Defence Position

"While authorities were discovering Toyah's remains, he was organizing... a rushed one way trip back to India," Mr Crane said previously as he opened his case.

The defence is has not provided testimony, but in his opening address, Mr Singh's barrister Greg McGuire portrayed his defendant as a "calm" 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 attack Ms Cordingley and then had run away in fear – something he said was his "biggest mistake."

Mr McGuire has also said he will testify about individuals "both known and unknown" who should come under suspicion.

Further Testimony

Ms Cordingley's boyfriend at the time, the witness, whom police excluded 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 involved in his girlfriend's disappearance, even before her remains were found.

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

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

Ashley Rodriguez
Ashley Rodriguez

A passionate DIY enthusiast and home renovation expert with over a decade of experience in creating beautiful, functional spaces.