Jury poised to deliberate early next week in Toyah case trial
Cairns court
The trial of Rajwinder Singh for the murder of Toyah Cordingley in the Cairns Supreme Court is expected to begin winding up on Monday, with both sides soon to deliver closing addresses before the jury retires to consider its decision.
Justice Lincoln Crowley outlined the possible trial timeline yesterday to the jury of 10 men and two women following a host of witnesses taking the stand this week - the third week of proceedings.
RELATED STORIES
- Further facts revealed in Toyah Cordingley case
- Port Douglas police some of the first on the scene in Toyah Cordingley case
- More small clues revealed in Toyah Cordingley murder case
- Retrial in the Toyah Cordingley murder case begins today
The court heard from the man Ms Cordingley was expecting to pick up from the airport on the evening of Sunday, October 21, podiatrist Tyson Franklin, with more than 100 text messages being tabled that were exchanged between the pair in the weeks leading up to the murder.
The pair spent time together on a previous weekend when Ms Cordingley’s boyfriend Marco Heidenreich was in Melbourne, and talked of hanging out together at Fairy Falls after Mr Franklin returned to Cairns, the court heard.
Australian Federal Police Detective Superintendent Murray Taylor also told the court he was the senior officer at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi from 2018-24, where he helped coordinate the extradition of Mr Singh from India.
He first heard from Queensland Police in November 2018, an extradition order for Mr Singh was issued in March 2021, and a reward was offered up in November 2022.
A tip-off led to Mr Singh’s arrest in New Delhi on November 24 of that year, and he was extradited on February 28, 2023.
The court also heard possible blood stains were found on a tissue box in the back of Mr Singh’s car and on an outside door handle of the blue alpha romeo.
The trial continues today.
Support public interest journalism
Help us to continue covering local stories that matter. Please consider supporting below.