Man Convicted of Australian Beach Murder, Hiding in India

A former nurse has been convicted of the 2018 murder of 24‑year‑old Toyah Cordingley on Queensland’s Wangetti Beach, after a month‑long trial in the Cairns Supreme Court.

Ms Cordingley was stabbed at least twenty‑six times while out on a Sunday afternoon walk with her dog in October 2018. Her body was discovered half‑buried in sand dunes by her father, Mark Cordingley, who found her on the popular stretch between Cairns and Port Douglas.

A health‑store worker and animal‑shelter volunteer, she was well known and loved in the local community, and her death sparked an outpouring of grief across the state of Queensland.

Rajwinder Singh, a 41‑year‑old former nurse originally from Punjab, fled to India the day after the body was found and spent four years on the run. He returned to Australia for the trial, which marked his second attempt after a March hearing ended in a hung jury.

Prosecutors presented DNA evidence from a stick recovered at the scene that was three point eight billion times more likely to belong to Singh than to a random member of the public. They also showed that the movements of Ms Cordingley’s phone matched the route of Singh’s car in the moments after the attack.

“The evidence was overwhelming,” said Senior Crown Prosecutor Sarah Bennett. “We have achieved justice for Toyah and her family.”

The jury returned a guilty verdict on Monday, prompting cheers and tears from members of the public gathered in the courtroom. “We are relieved that the truth has finally emerged,” Mark Cordingley added.

Singh will return to court for a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, where he is expected to face a substantial term of imprisonment under Australian law.

Ghanaians living in Queensland have followed the case closely, recalling the importance of community safety and the need for timely justice – values echoed in Ghana’s own legal reforms.

The conviction marks the end of a seven‑year search for answers and underscores the power of forensic science in solving cold cases.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE