Jury in Prominent Down Under Homicide Trial Visits Beach Where Deceased Was Discovered
Jurors overseeing a high-profile Australian murder trial have traveled to the isolated shore where the victim was located.
Toyah Cordingley was repeatedly attacked with a bladed weapon and buried in a sandy resting place with minimal hope of surviving, the court has been told.
The remains were discovered by her father the next day on Wangetti Beach – a stretch of coastline 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.
Jury Inspection to Beach
The panel of 10 men and two women plus three alternates visited the location along with the presiding officer and barristers on Monday morning in Queensland.
In a nod to the tropical conditions and temperatures above 30C, Justice Lincoln Crowley wore a casual top, sport shorts and trainers rather than traditional court attire.
Both the prosecuting and defense attorneys selected casual shirts, shorts and headwear.
Scene Particulars
The court members were led around 1.2km along the beach to observe where Ms Cordingley's remains were uncovered.
Earlier, 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 key locations in the case and no testimony was presented.
Background of the Case
Last week, the Cairns Supreme Court heard that the following day Ms Cordingley's body were discovered, Mr Singh flew from Australia to India – abandoning his spouse, three children and parents.
He was out of contact until he was arrested four years later, the prosecution said.
Prosecution Case
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 pharmacy worker was found wearing a bikini, with her attire and most of her possessions absent.
Those objects were taken by the killer to conceal evidence, the prosecution contend.
Her pet, Indie, which Ms Cordingley had taken to the beach for a walk, was located secured to a tree hidden in bushland about 100 feet from the grave.
No murder weapon was found, and no one have been found.
But the state says the evidence – though circumstantial – was made up of proof that indicated Mr Singh "excluding other suspects."
This will involve testimony that genetic material obtained from a stick at the location was extremely more probable to have originated from Mr Singh than a random member of the population.
The jury has already heard testimony suggesting that Ms Cordingley's mobile device left the beach after the killing – and that its travel corresponded with those of a blue Alfa Romeo owned by the defendant.
Mr Singh's quick exit from Australia also suggested his involvement, the state has argued.
Defence Position
"While authorities were discovering Toyah's remains, he was organizing... a hurriedly arranged one way trip back to India," Mr Crane said last week as he began arguments.
The defence is has not present any evidence, but in his initial statement, Mr Singh's barrister the lawyer portrayed his client as a "placid" and "caring" man, who was in the "incorrect location at the unfortunate moment."
He also hinted at evidence to come subsequently that, after his arrest, Mr Singh informed an undercover officer he had seen two masked men assault Ms Cordingley and then had fled 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 suspicion.
Further Testimony
Ms Cordingley's partner, Marco Heidenreich, whom police quickly ruled out as a person of interest, was among those who gave evidence last week.
The trial heard he was an immediate person of interest – 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 discovered.
Images depicting Mr Heidenreich on a hike with a friend on the day Ms Cordingley went missing have been presented to the jury, with an expert saying he was certain the pictures were genuine and had not been doctored in any way.
The trial will return to the standard environment of the courtroom on Tuesday.
