A jury has failed to reach a unanimous decision in the trial of Rajwinder Singh, aged 40, who has been accused of murdering 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley, discovered fatally stabbed on a remote beach near Cairns, Queensland, in 2018. The case has pivoted on circumstantial evidence, as there were no direct witnesses to the crime.
Cordingley, who worked at an organic food store, was found buried in sand on Wangetti Beach on October 22, 2018. Her father, Troy Cordingley, located her body while searching the area after her boyfriend, Marco Heidenreich, notified authorities when she failed to return home from a walk. Her dog, found unharmed, was tied to a nearby tree.
During the 13-day trial, the jury was presented with graphic autopsy images and heard testimonies from numerous witnesses. The prosecution, led by Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane, pointed to Singh’s distinctive blue Alfa Romeo, suggesting it could be linked to phone activity from Cordingley’s device shortly after her death. Singh, an Indian national who had immigrated to Australia in 2009, reportedly left the country the day after Cordingley’s body was discovered, ceasing payments on his mortgage and quitting his job.
Singh wasn’t apprehended until November 2022, when he was extradited back to Australia. His defence team, led by Angus Edwards, argued that Singh could not be convicted unless all other potential suspects were eliminated, suggesting that reasonable doubt remained regarding his sole involvement in the murder.
After more than two days of deliberation, the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict and was subsequently discharged, leaving the case unresolved.