Panel of Jurors in High-Profile Australian Murder Case Visits Shoreline At Which Deceased Was Discovered
Members of the jury involved in a high-profile Australian murder trial have traveled to the remote beach where the victim was discovered.
The 24-year-old victim was multiple times attacked with a bladed weapon and buried in a sandy resting place with little or no chance of survival, the court has heard.
The remains were discovered by a family member the following day on Wangetti Beach – a section of shoreline 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 Visit to Beach
The jury of 12 individuals plus three alternates attended the location along with the judge and barristers on Monday morning in Queensland.
In a acknowledgment of the tropical conditions and sweltering heat, the judge wore a casual top, sport shorts and trainers rather than a wig and robes.
Both the prosecuting and defence barristers selected casual shirts, bottoms and headwear.
Scene Particulars
The court members 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, several markers indicated where the victim's car had been left.
The visit was intended to help the panel become acquainted with key locations in the case and no testimony was presented.
Context of the Case
Previously, the court heard that the day after Ms Cordingley's remains were discovered, the accused departed from Australia to India – abandoning his spouse, three children and parents.
He was out of contact until he was apprehended four years later, the state said.
State Case
It is alleged that Mr Singh, 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 belongings missing.
Those objects were taken by the assailant to conceal evidence, prosecutors contend.
Her pet, Indie, which Ms Cordingley had brought along for a walk, was located secured to a post concealed in shrubland about 100 feet from the grave.
The weapon was ever recovered, and no eyewitnesses have been identified.
But the prosecution says the crown's case – though indirect – was comprised findings that indicated Mr Singh "and eliminated others."
This will involve evidence that DNA recovered from a stick at the scene was extremely more likely to have come from Mr Singh than a random member of the population.
The court has previously been told evidence suggesting that Ms Cordingley's phone left the scene after the killing – and that its movements matched those of a vehicle belonging to the defendant.
Mr Singh's sudden departure from Australia also suggested his guilt, the state has argued.
Defense Stance
"As the police were discovering Toyah's remains, he was organizing... a hurriedly arranged one way trip back to India," Mr Crane said previously as he began arguments.
The defence is has not present any evidence, but in his initial statement, Mr Singh's barrister Greg McGuire described his client as a "placid" and "caring" 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 two masked men assault Ms Cordingley and then had run away in terror – something he said was his "gravest error."
Mr McGuire has also said he will testify about individuals "both known and unknown" who should come under suspicion.
Additional Evidence
Ms Cordingley's partner, the witness, whom authorities excluded as a person of interest, was one who testified last week.
The trial heard he was an immediate police suspect – and that he had been interrogated from Ms Cordingley's father about whether he was involved in his girlfriend's disappearance, even before her body were discovered.
Photographs depicting Mr Heidenreich on a walk with a friend on the day Ms Cordingley disappeared have been shown to the jury, with an specialist saying he was confident the photos were genuine and had not been doctored in any way.
The case will resume to the standard environment of the courthouse on the next day.