Rajwinder Singh to Face Retrial in High-Profile Beach Murder Case

On Oct. 21, 2018, 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley took her dog for a walk along the picturesque Wangetti Beach in Far North Queensland. It should have been just another peaceful walk by the water. Instead, it became the beginning of a murder mystery that has kept Australia - and the world - hooked for years.

A Mysterious Walk on the Beach

The next morning, Toyah’s father, Troy Cordingley, made a devastating discovery. He noticed an unusual mound in the sand and decided to investigate. “I dropped down to my knees and I scooped the sand three times, and on the third scoop, there was a foot,” he later told the jury, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Stunned and horrified, he called for help.

Toyah had suffered a deep neck wound, along with other injuries to her chest, abdomen, and hands. Her tragic death set off a years-long search for justice - one that still hasn’t reached its conclusion.

A Suspect on the Run

Authorities soon focused on Rajwinder Singh, a 40-year-old former nurse from nearby Innisfail. Why the interest? Singh left Australia for India the day after Toyah’s body was found. He wasn’t seen again until November 2022, when he was finally located and extradited back to Australia to stand trial.

The case against Singh seemed strong. According to the Australian Associated Press, DNA under Toyah’s fingernails was “2000 times more likely” to belong to Singh than to a random man, as reported by PEOPLE. Additionally, a vehicle matching his blue Alpha Romeo sedan was seen in key locations that night. But the prosecution faced one major hurdle: There were no direct witnesses to the crime, and the motive remained unclear.

Hung Jury, Retrial on the Horizon

Fast forward to March 2025. After three weeks of testimony and three days of deliberations, the jury was hopelessly deadlocked. Justice James Henry had no choice but to discharge them, declaring a mistrial. “Probably guilty is not enough,” he reminded the courtroom according to the ABC. The prosecution needed to prove Singh’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and the jury just couldn’t get there.

But the legal system isn’t done with Singh yet. His retrial has been scheduled for Nov. 10, 2025, despite efforts by his defense team to push it back to 2026. Prosecutor Nathan Crane argued that the case had already been delayed enough. “The Crown doesn’t want to wait 12 months for a retrial,” he insisted as reported by the ABC.

Justice Henry agreed, noting that while the case involved a lot of evidence, it wasn’t overly complex. “That is to say, beyond a level of which a barrister of moderate expertise could really cope with,” he remarked according to the ABC.

Will Justice Finally Be Served?

With 70 witnesses and years of evidence already analyzed, Toyah’s family - and the public - hope the next trial will bring closure. Singh remains in custody, awaiting his day in court once again. Whether the second jury will reach a verdict remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Toyah’s story isn’t over yet.

References: Jury ‘Deadlocked’ in Murder Case Where Woman’s Body Was Found Buried on the Beach by Her ‘Horrified’ Father: Reports | Rajwinder Singh set to face retrial over alleged murder of Toyah Cordingley | Jury discharged in trial of man accused of beach murder | Jury in trial of Rajwinder Singh accused of murdering Cairns woman Toyah Cordingley discharged | Toyah Cordingley’s father recalls discovering his daughter buried in sand at Wangetti beach