India acts as family honours Toyah

A small-town community near Cairns yesterday came together to commemorate the fourth anniversary of Toyah Cordingley’s shocking murder at Wangetti Beach.

The 24-year-old was walking along her favourite beach just 45km north of Cairns when she was murdered in October 2018.

Police said at the time it was potentially a sexually related murder”.

Just this week, the Australian Attorney-general’s office confirmed an extradition order for nurse Rajwinder Singh had been signed by the Indian government.

A key person of interest, Mr Singh is believed to have flown to India in the days after Ms Cordingley’s death.

The signed order means local authorities now have the power to arrest the man and take him to Queensland, where he would be transferred into the custody of Australian police for questioning.

Family spokesman David Trimble told NCA Newswire that while the new development was being reported as a major breakthrough, nothing much had changed for the young woman’s loved ones.

“They still haven’t been able to find the guy,” Mr Trimble said. “Even if they find him, they still haven’t got their daughter.”

A service is held every year on the anniversary of Ms Cordingley’s murder at the memorial site built by her loved ones at Wangetti Beach.

Mr Trimble said Ms Cordingley’s mother has been to the beach since the memorial was unveiled .

“Everyone thinks of her (Toyah) probably every day,” he said. “She’d probably be married now or have kids. She loved animals, so she would probably be working with them.” He said the community had never fully recovered from the murder, with many people shying away from the beachfront for months afterwards.