Cairns, Australia ( National Times): The long-running investigation into the death of 24-year-old Toah Cordingley reached its decisive conclusion as Rajwinder Singh was found guilty of murder in an Australian court, ending a case that spanned continents, years of uncertainty, and an emotional search for justice. The tragedy began in 2018 when Toah left home to walk her dog along the quiet stretch of Wangeti Beach near Cairns. When she did not return, her family raised the alarm, triggering a community-wide search. The next morning, Toah’s body was discovered partially buried in the sand, a horrifying revelation that shattered the peace of the region. Her dog was found nearby, alive but distressed.
As the police investigation intensified, forensic findings and digital evidence began to narrow the focus onto a single suspect. DNA recovered from the scene aligned with samples linked to Rajwinder Singh. Mobile-phone data placed him in the area at the time of Toah’s disappearance, while traffic-camera footage captured his blue vehicle intersecting her final movements along the beach. Before authorities could make an arrest, Singh abruptly fled Australia, flying to India only hours after the murder. What followed were four years of evasion as he moved locations and avoided authorities, while the case continued to weigh heavily on the Australian public and on Toah’s grieving family.
After lengthy diplomatic negotiations and legal processes, Singh was eventually extradited back to Australia, escorted by law enforcement officers to face trial. The courtroom saw a four-week retrial that revisited every layer of the evidence, from forensic analyses to surveillance data, all piecing together the final moments of Toah’s life. After seven hours of deliberation, the jury delivered a guilty verdict, marking the end of one of Queensland’s most closely followed murder cases.
For the Cordingley family, the conviction brought a mix of sorrow and relief, finally providing the accountability they had sought for nearly six years. The case, defined by its brutality, international pursuit, and relentless investigative effort, will remain etched in Australia’s collective memory as a tragedy that began with a simple walk on the beach and ended with justice delayed, but ultimately delivered.
