Jury Discharged in high-profile Australia beach murder case

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Tuesday, March 18th, 2025

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A jury has been discharged in the trial of Rajwinder Singh, the 40-year-old former nurse accused of the murder of Toyah Cordingley, after they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict. The case, which has garnered widespread attention in Australia, revolved around the death of 24-year-old Cordingley, who was brutally stabbed at least 26 times while walking her dog on Wangetti Beach in October 2018.

Cordingley’s body was discovered by her father, half-buried in sand dunes near Cairns. Singh, who fled to India the day after the murder, was arrested and extradited to Australia in 2023. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence, including DNA that was highly likely to belong to Singh, found on a stick in Cordingley’s grave. Phone records also suggested that Singh’s car was in the same area as Cordingley’s phone on the day of the murder.

Despite this evidence, the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict after deliberating for two-and-a-half days. According to Queensland law, murder verdicts must be unanimous, meaning Singh will face a retrial.

Defense attorneys argued that there was insufficient evidence to prove Singh’s involvement, pointing to DNA from an unknown person found at the crime scene. They suggested that police had not thoroughly investigated other possible suspects. Singh, who denies the charges, claims he was a witness to the murder and fled Australia fearing for his life.