Jury in Prominent Down Under Murder Trial Tours Beach At Which Deceased Was Discovered
Jurors overseeing a high-profile Australian murder trial have traveled to the isolated beach where the victim was located.
The 24-year-old victim was repeatedly stabbed with a bladed weapon and placed in a sandy grave with minimal chance of survival, the jury has heard.
Her body were found by a family member the following day on Wangetti Beach – a stretch of shoreline nestled between the popular destinations of Cairns and Port Douglas.
The accused, 41, denies murdering Ms Cordingley on a Sunday afternoon in October 2018 in Far North Queensland.
Jury Inspection to Crime Scene
The panel of 10 men and two women plus three back-up jurors visited the location along with the presiding officer and barristers on Monday morning local time.
In a acknowledgment of the tropical conditions and temperatures above 30C, Justice Lincoln Crowley opted for a casual top, sport shorts and sneakers rather than a wig and robes.
Both the prosecuting and defense attorneys chose casual shirts, bottoms and headwear.
Scene Details
The jurors were guided around three-quarters of a mile north up the sand to see where Ms Cordingley's remains were uncovered.
Earlier, as they traveled to the site, four red and white cones showed where the vehicle had been parked.
The trip was intended to help the panel become familiar with key locations in the trial and no testimony was given.
Background of the Case
Last week, the Cairns Supreme Court heard that the following day Ms Cordingley's remains were discovered, the accused departed from Australia to India – abandoning his spouse, family and relatives.
He was out of contact until he was arrested years after, the state said.
Prosecution Argument
It is claimed that Mr Singh, who was working as a nurse in the town of Innisfail, south of Cairns, had a confrontation with Ms Cordingley.
The pharmacy worker was found wearing a bikini, with her attire and belongings absent.
Those objects were taken by the killer to conceal evidence, the prosecution allege.
Her dog, Indie, which Ms Cordingley had taken to the beach for a stroll, was found tied up to a post concealed in shrubland about 30 metres from the burial site.
No murder weapon was found, and no one have been found.
But the state says the evidence – though indirect – was comprised proof that pointed to Mr Singh "and eliminated others."
This will include evidence that DNA recovered from a stick at the scene was extremely more probable to have originated from Mr Singh than a random member of the public.
The jury has already heard testimony suggesting that Ms Cordingley's mobile device departed the scene after the killing – and that its travel corresponded with those of a vehicle belonging to the defendant.
Mr Singh's sudden departure from Australia also suggested his guilt, the prosecution has argued.
Defence Stance
"As the police were finding Toyah's body, he was organizing... a hurriedly arranged one way trip back to India," the prosecutor said previously as he began arguments.
The defence is has not present any evidence, but in his opening address, the defense attorney the lawyer described his client as a "calm" and "compassionate" man, who was in the "incorrect location at the wrong time."
He also foreshadowed evidence to come later in the trial that, after his arrest, Mr Singh informed an undercover officer he had witnessed two masked men assault Ms Cordingley and then had run away in fear – something he said was his "biggest mistake."
The defense attorney has also said he will testify about individuals "both known and unknown" who should come under suspicion.
Further Testimony
Ms Cordingley's partner, Marco Heidenreich, whom authorities quickly ruled out as a possible suspect, was among those who gave evidence last week.
The trial was informed he was an immediate person of interest – and that he had faced questions from Ms Cordingley's father about whether he was involved in his partner's disappearance, prior to her remains were found.
Photographs depicting Mr Heidenreich on a hike with a companion on the day Ms Cordingley went missing have been presented to the jury, with an expert saying he was confident the photos were genuine and had not been altered in any way.
The case will return to the more conventional setting of the courtroom on Tuesday.