In a case that has captured the attention of Australia, Rajwinder Singh was found guilty of the murder of 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley, whose tragic death sparked widespread grief across Queensland. Cordingley's body was discovered half-buried on Wangetti beach in October 2018, after she was allegedly stabbed over 26 times while on a walk with her dog.
Singh, who fled to India just a day after Cordingley's body was found, spent four years evading authorities before his trial. After a month-long court battle, he was convicted, prompting emotional reactions from those who gathered in the courtroom.
This was Singh's second trial after the first concluded with a hung jury. During the trial, it emerged that he had been living in Innisfail, only a couple of hours from the beach where Cordingley was found. His defense argued against the prosecution's circumstantial evidence, which included DNA evidence linking him to the crime scene.
The prosecution asserted that Singh's decision to flee immediately after the murder indicated his guilt. With DNA from the scene showing he was 3.8 billion times more likely to be the source than a random individual, and mobile phone evidence connecting him to Cordingley’s last movements, the jury found him guilty.
Singh’s sentencing hearing is set for Tuesday, marking a pivotal moment for the Cordingley family and the community that rallied behind them throughout this painful journey for justice.
