Jury in High-Profile Australian Murder Trial Tours Shoreline At Which Deceased Was Found
Members of the jury involved in a widely publicized Australian homicide case have traveled to the isolated shore where the victim was discovered.
The 24-year-old victim was repeatedly stabbed with a sharp object and buried in a sandy grave with minimal chance of survival, the jury has heard.
The remains were found by a family member the following day on Wangetti Beach – a stretch of coastline between the tourist centres of Cairns and Port Douglas.
Rajwinder Singh, 41, denies killing Ms Cordingley on a Sunday afternoon in October 2018 in Far North Queensland.
Court Inspection to Crime Scene
The jury of 10 men and two women plus three back-up jurors attended the location along with the judge and barristers on Monday morning local time.
In a nod to the tropical conditions and sweltering heat, Justice Lincoln Crowley wore a casual top, sport shorts and trainers rather than traditional court attire.
Both the prosecuting and defence barristers selected casual shirts, shorts and baseball caps.
Scene Details
The court members were led around 1.2km north up the sand to see where Ms Cordingley's remains were discovered.
Upon arrival, as they arrived by bus, several red and white cones indicated where the victim's car had been left.
The visit was designed to help the panel become familiar with key locations in the trial and no official evidence was given.
Context of the Trial
Last week, the court was informed that the following day Ms Cordingley's remains were discovered, Mr Singh flew from Australia to India – abandoning his spouse, family and parents.
He was not heard from until he was apprehended years after, the prosecution said.
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 pharmacy worker was discovered wearing a bikini, with her attire and most of her possessions missing.
Those objects were removed by the killer to conceal evidence, the prosecution allege.
Her dog, Indie, which Ms Cordingley had brought along for a stroll, was found tied up to a tree concealed in shrubland about 100 feet from the burial site.
No murder weapon was found, and no one have been found.
But the state says the evidence – though indirect – was made up of proof that indicated Mr Singh "and eliminated others."
This will include testimony that genetic material obtained from a object at the location was extremely more likely to have originated from Mr Singh than a random member of the population.
The jury has previously been told testimony suggesting that Ms Cordingley's phone departed the beach after the incident – and that its travel corresponded with those of a vehicle owned by the defendant.
Mr Singh's quick exit from Australia also suggested his involvement, the state has claimed.
Defense Stance
"While authorities were finding Toyah's remains, he was organizing... a hurriedly arranged single journey back to India," Mr Crane said previously as he opened his case.
The defence is has not present any evidence, but in his opening address, Mr Singh's barrister Greg McGuire portrayed his client as a "placid" and "compassionate" man, who was in the "incorrect location at the wrong time."
He also hinted at testimony to come later in the trial that, after his arrest, Mr Singh informed an plainclothes agent he had seen two masked men assault Ms Cordingley and then had run away in terror – something he said was his "biggest mistake."
The defense attorney has also said he will give evidence about individuals "identified and unidentified" who should come under investigation.
Further Testimony
Ms Cordingley's boyfriend at the time, the witness, whom police quickly ruled out as a person of interest, was one who testified previously.
The court heard he was an initial police suspect – and that he had been interrogated from Ms Cordingley's parent about whether he was implicated in his girlfriend's vanishing, prior to her remains were discovered.
Images showing Mr Heidenreich on a walk with a friend on the day Ms Cordingley disappeared have been shown to the jury, with an expert saying he was certain the pictures were genuine and had not been altered in any manner.
The case will resume to the standard environment of the courthouse on the next day.
