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Toyah Cordingley: Jury discharged in high-profile Australia beach murder | Toyah Cordingley: Jury discharged in high-profile Australia beach murder |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Toyah Cordingley was killed in 2018 while out walking her dog | Toyah Cordingley was killed in 2018 while out walking her dog |
A jury in the trial of a former nurse accused of murdering a woman on a remote Australian beach has been discharged, after they could not reach a verdict. | A jury in the trial of a former nurse accused of murdering a woman on a remote Australian beach has been discharged, after they could not reach a verdict. |
Toyah Cordingley was stabbed at least 26 times while out walking her dog in October 2018. | Toyah Cordingley was stabbed at least 26 times while out walking her dog in October 2018. |
The 24-year-old's body was discovered by her father, half-buried in sand dunes on Wangetti beach between the popular tourist hotspots of Cairns and Port Douglas. | The 24-year-old's body was discovered by her father, half-buried in sand dunes on Wangetti beach between the popular tourist hotspots of Cairns and Port Douglas. |
Rajwinder Singh, 40, who travelled to India the day after Ms Cordingley's body was found, was charged with murder. He was arrested and then extradited to Australia in 2023. | Rajwinder Singh, 40, who travelled to India the day after Ms Cordingley's body was found, was charged with murder. He was arrested and then extradited to Australia in 2023. |
But jurors at Cairns Supreme Court said they were deadlocked, and unable to reach a unanimous decision on his guilt after two-and-half days of deliberations. The judge thanked the jury for their "diligence". | But jurors at Cairns Supreme Court said they were deadlocked, and unable to reach a unanimous decision on his guilt after two-and-half days of deliberations. The judge thanked the jury for their "diligence". |
Under Queensland law, jury verdicts in murder cases must be unanimous. So Mr Singh will face another trial. | Under Queensland law, jury verdicts in murder cases must be unanimous. So Mr Singh will face another trial. |
Originally from Buttar Kalan in the Indian state of Punjab, Mr Singh had been living in Innisfail at the time of the killing, a town about two hours south from the crime scene. | Originally from Buttar Kalan in the Indian state of Punjab, Mr Singh had been living in Innisfail at the time of the killing, a town about two hours south from the crime scene. |
Prosecutors said they did not have a motive for the killing of Ms Cordingley - a health store worker and animal shelter volunteer - and there was no evidence of a sexual assault. | Prosecutors said they did not have a motive for the killing of Ms Cordingley - a health store worker and animal shelter volunteer - and there was no evidence of a sexual assault. |
The trial at Cairns Supreme court heard that DNA highly likely to be Mr Singh's was discovered on a stick in the victim's grave. | |
Data from mobile phone towers also suggested Ms Cordingley's phone had moved in a similar pattern to Mr Singh's blue Alfa Romeo car on the day the victim went missing. | Data from mobile phone towers also suggested Ms Cordingley's phone had moved in a similar pattern to Mr Singh's blue Alfa Romeo car on the day the victim went missing. |
The prosecution also suggested the hurried way Mr Singh left Australia without saying goodbye to his family or colleagues pointed to his guilt. | The prosecution also suggested the hurried way Mr Singh left Australia without saying goodbye to his family or colleagues pointed to his guilt. |
Mr Singh had denied murder – and had told an undercover police officer he had seen the killing, then left the country, leaving behind his wife and children because he feared for his own life. | Mr Singh had denied murder – and had told an undercover police officer he had seen the killing, then left the country, leaving behind his wife and children because he feared for his own life. |
His defence lawyer said he was "a coward" but not a killer, and accused police of a "flawed" investigation that did not look sufficiently at other possible suspects. | His defence lawyer said he was "a coward" but not a killer, and accused police of a "flawed" investigation that did not look sufficiently at other possible suspects. |
They said DNA found at the scene, including on the victim's discarded selfie stick, did not match Mr Singh's profile. | |
"There is an unknown person's DNA at that grave site," defence barrister Angus Edwards told the jury. | "There is an unknown person's DNA at that grave site," defence barrister Angus Edwards told the jury. |