'Rot in hell, you bas****': Seven years on, jury convicts former India-origin nurse in Queensland beach killing

An Indian-origin former nurse has been convicted of killing an Australian woman, bringing closure to a case that began seven years ago when the victim’s body was found on a remote Queensland beach. Toyah Cordingley, who worked in a pharmacy, was discovered partially buried in the sand dunes of Wangetti Beach, roughly 40 km north of Cairns, on October 22, 2018. Authorities said the accused, Rajwinder Singh, had driven to the beach after an argument with his wife, carrying a kitchen knife and some fruit.

Cordingley had taken her dog for a walk along the shore when their paths crossed. After her dog allegedly barked at Singh, the encounter escalated into a heated dispute. Prosecutors argued that Singh reacted violently, fatally stabbing her before concealing the body in the dunes and securing her dog to a nearby tree.

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As the jury in the Cairns Supreme Court announced its verdict, Cordingley’s father shouted at Singh, telling him to “rot in hell, you bas****,” while Singh appeared unfazed. Two days after the killing, Singh abruptly left Australia, abandoning his family and job under the pretext of visiting an ill grandfather. Police soon identified him as a suspect, linking the movements of his vehicle to data from Cordingley’s phone.

A record one-million-dollar reward was issued by Queensland Police for information leading to his capture. Singh managed to evade authorities for four years and had no contact with his family during his disappearance. In November 2022, he was located and arrested by Delhi Police at a gurudwara, before being extradited to Australia the following year.

Although the trial was initially set for 2024, it was delayed due to slow document transfers. Partway through the proceedings, a juror was dismissed over claims of bias, but the court ruled the remaining panel could proceed fairly. Sentencing submissions are scheduled for Tuesday, signaling the next step in the long-running case.