Panel of Jurors in High-Profile Down Under Homicide Trial Visits Shoreline Where Deceased Was Discovered
Members of the jury overseeing a widely publicized Queensland murder trial have been taken to the isolated beach where the victim was discovered.
The 24-year-old victim was multiple times attacked with a bladed weapon and placed in a shallow grave with minimal hope of surviving, the court has heard.
The remains were found by her father the following day on Wangetti Beach – a stretch of shoreline nestled between the popular destinations of Cairns and Port Douglas.
Rajwinder Singh, 41, denies murdering Ms Cordingley on a Sunday afternoon in October 2018 in northern Australia.
Jury Visit 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 hot climate and sweltering heat, the judge opted for a casual top, athletic wear and trainers rather than a wig and robes.
Both the lead prosecution and defense attorneys chose polo shirts, shorts and headwear.
Scene Particulars
The jurors were led around three-quarters of a mile along the beach to see where Ms Cordingley's body were uncovered.
Earlier, as they arrived by bus, four markers showed where the victim's car had been parked.
The visit was intended to help the panel become familiar with key locations in the case and no official evidence was given.
Background of the Case
Last week, the Cairns Supreme Court heard that the day after Ms Cordingley's remains were discovered, Mr Singh flew from Australia to India – leaving behind his spouse, three children and parents.
He was out of contact until he was arrested years after, the prosecution said.
Prosecution Argument
It is alleged that the defendant, who was employed in healthcare in the town of Innisfail, near Cairns, had a confrontation with Ms Cordingley.
The pharmacy worker was found wearing a swimwear, with all her other clothes and belongings missing.
Those items were taken by the killer to conceal evidence, prosecutors allege.
Her dog, Indie, which Ms Cordingley had brought along for a stroll, was located secured to a tree hidden in shrubland about 30 metres from the grave.
No murder weapon was ever recovered, and no one have been identified.
But the state says the crown's case – though indirect – was made up of findings that indicated Mr Singh "excluding other suspects."
This will include testimony that genetic material recovered from a stick at the scene was extremely more probable to have come from Mr Singh than a unrelated individual of the public.
The jury has previously been told testimony suggesting that Ms Cordingley's mobile device left the scene after the killing – and that its movements corresponded with those of a blue Alfa Romeo belonging to the accused.
Mr Singh's sudden departure from Australia also suggested his guilt, the state has argued.
Defense Stance
"While authorities were discovering Toyah's remains, he was arranging... a hurriedly arranged single journey back to India," Mr Crane said last week as he opened his case.
The defence is has not provided testimony, but in his opening address, Mr Singh's barrister the lawyer portrayed his defendant as a "placid" and "compassionate" man, who was in the "incorrect location at the unfortunate moment."
He also hinted at testimony to come later in the trial that, after his apprehension, Mr Singh told an undercover officer he had seen assailants attack Ms Cordingley and then had fled in terror – something he said was his "gravest error."
The defense attorney has also said he will give evidence about individuals "identified and unidentified" who should come under investigation.
Additional Evidence
Ms Cordingley's partner, Marco Heidenreich, whom police quickly ruled out as a possible suspect, was one who gave evidence previously.
The court was informed he was an initial person of interest – and that he had faced questions from Ms Cordingley's father about whether he was involved in his partner's vanishing, even before her body were found.
Photographs depicting Mr Heidenreich on a hike with a companion on the day Ms Cordingley disappeared have been presented to the jury, with an expert saying he was certain the pictures were genuine and had not been doctored in any manner.
The trial will resume to the more conventional setting of the courtroom on the next day.