An Indian-origin former hospital nurse was found guilty of murdering an Australian woman, seven years after her body was found on an isolated beach in Queensland.
Toyah Cordingley's body was discovered half-buried in an isolated section of sand dunes at Wangetti Beach, about 40km north of Cairns, on October 22, 2018. According to officials, the accused, Rajwinder Singh, had gone to the beach after a fight with his wife. He was allegedly carrying some fruits and a kitchen knife.
Cordingley, a pharmacy worker, was walking her dog at the beach. When Cordingley's dog started barking at Singh, the two argued. Angered by this, Singh stabbed her and buried the body in the sand. He also tied her dog to a tree.
As a jury in the Cairns Supreme Court delivered the verdict, Cordingley's father yelled at the accused, "Rot in hell, you bas****".
Singh, however, remained seemingly calm.
Singh had fled Australia two days after the murder, leaving behind his job, wife, and three children - claiming that his grandfather was ill. He remained on the run for four years, and he did not even contact his family during this time. Within three weeks of the murder, police suspected Singh as his car's movements were matched with Cordingley's mobile phone location.
The Queensland Police had offered a reward of a million Australian dollars - the largest ever offered by the department - for information leading to Singh's arrest.
In November 2022, the Special Cell of Delhi Police arrested him from a gurudwara in Delhi. He was extradited from India to Australia in 2023.
The trial in the case was to begin in 2024, but was postponed due to the delays in receiving documents.
During the trial, a juror was removed after allegations of bias and improper conduct, but the court deemed the remaining jurors impartial and allowed the trial to continue.
The court will hear arguments on the sentencing on Tuesday, marking the next phase of the long-running case.
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