An Indian-origin man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison in Australia for the 2018 murder of 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley, a case that drew national attention and spanned several countries before reaching its conclusion. The Supreme Court in Cairns found former nurse Rajwinder Singh, 41, guilty of killing Cordingley at Queensland’s Wangetti Beach, ABC News reported. Justice Lincoln Crowley described the crime as an “opportunistic killing,” noting that Singh’s motive remains unknown even after years of investigation.
Cordingley was walking her dog along the beach north of Cairns on 21 October 2018 when she was attacked and killed. She worked at a health food and pharmacy store in Port Douglas and volunteered at an animal refuge, earning a reputation as a kind and compassionate young woman. The brutality of her death shocked the local community.
After the murder, Singh abruptly left Australia and fled to India, abandoning his wife, children, and parents. Justice Crowley criticised Singh’s decision to escape, stating that leaving his family behind without a proper farewell showed that his only priority was self-preservation. Singh lived in India for several years before being extradited back to Australia two years ago, following one of Queensland’s largest-ever rewards — AUD 1 million — offered for information leading to his capture.
Seven years after the crime, the court has now imposed a non-parole period of 25 years, bringing a measure of closure to a case marked by prolonged legal proceedings and an international manhunt.
