Toyah Cordingley murder trial told DNA on stick 'highly likely' to be from accused murderer
DNA evidence from a stick found with Toyah Cordingley's body was 3.7 billion times more likely to belong to accused killer a court has been told on day 14 of the trial of Rajwinder Singh for murder.
DNA from a stick buried in sand with Toyah Cordingley’s body was highly likely to belong to Rajwinder Singh, but DNA on her dog Indi’s collar and lead was highly unlikely to have belonged to the alleged killer, her murder trial has been told.
Rajwinder Singh, 41, of Innisfail, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Cordingley at Wangetti Beach on October 21,2018; she disappeared while walking her dog Indi that day.
The trial began three weeks ago and, on day 14, a forensic scientist who analysed DNA from the scene was in the witness box all day.
Forensic scientist Angelina Keller from Queensland’s forensic testing facility in Brisbane said DNA from a stick in Ms Cordingley’sbeach grave was 3.7 billion times more likely to have come from Mr Singh.
But she said DNA taken from the collar and lead of dog, Indi, who was found in bushland a short distance from Ms Cordingley’s body, was 13 million times more likely not to have come from Mr Singh.
Ms Keller explained to the court how DNA evidence is “probabilistic, not absolute”, saying that likelihood ratios reflected the probability that the DNA came from a specific person compared to anyone else in the population.
She said even high numbers were statistical estimates, rather than certainties. DNA was also taken from the tree where Ms Cordingley’s dog was tied up tightly, the court was told.
Although Ms Cordingley’s body was found some distance away, Ms Keller reported a likelihood ratio of 14 million that Ms Cordingley’s DNA was on the tree.
She said the DNA might be there because of direct or indirect transfer.
“If there is DNA from a person on an item, because of the variables involved in transfer of biological material, but the specific method of transfer, I am unable to comment on,” Ms Keller said.
The jury was told Ms Keller also tested samples taken from Ms Cordingley’s body and fingernail clippings, which contained in most part Ms Cordingley’s DNA and traces of another.
She said there were “incomplete” samples from a second DNA “contributor” on Ms Cordingley’s foot, leg and hand, but these samples provided less precise information to match with the reference samples. A blood stain on her right lower leg yielded a sample that was 10 times less likely to be Mr Singh, and a sample from one of her fingernails was 14 times more likely to be consistent with Mr Singh.
Ms Keller also gave evidence about samples sperm cells taken from Ms Cordingley’s body, which were more than 100 million times more likely to be from her boyfriend Marco Heidenreich.
She was questioned about how long sperm cells could exist within a person.
“ It is highly variable … but if there is a deposition event in that environment, the most amount of time you would expect is seven days, but probably less,” Ms Keller said.
Week three recap – Mr Singh’s life in Innisfail
Week three of the trial started with an outline of Rajwinder Singh’s life in Innisfail, with his family and workmates taking the stand.
Innisfail nurse Kylie Osmundsen described Mr Singh as a “competent and respected” nurse who was being bullied at work.
His sister Palwinder Kaur, with whom he stayed the night before he flew from Australian to India the day Ms Cordingley’s body was found, spoke about their “very good relationship”.
His parents said they had not seen their son since he left Australia that day. They said he did not say goodbye.
His father, Amar Singh, said he travelled to India to try to find his son, but was unsuccessful.
Rajwinder Singh located in India
Federal Police detective Murray Taylor was involved in the extradition of Mr Singh back to Australia three years ago and said there were “about a dozen officers waiting for him” at a temple in New Delhi.
Superintendent Taylor said a reward was offered for information about Mr Singh in November 2022 and he was located soon after the reward was publicised in India.
Undercover police officer conversation played to court
When Mr Singh was returned to Australia, an undercover officer was placed in a watch-house cell with him, the court was told.
The police officer started his conversation with Mr Singh by asking him where he was from, what he did for work, whether he was from Australia or had moved here, if he had family and where they were. Mr Singh, in the static recording, could be heard telling the officer he “used” to work at Innisfail as a nurse and that he had a wife and three kids.
Later in the conversation, Mr Singh could be heard saying “they’re saying I killed someone”.
“I didn’t even know the person, it happened right in front of me, I ran for my life,” Mr Singh says in the recording.
Mr Singh also spoke of his faith. “God is helping me,” Mr Singh could be heard saying.
Wangetti Beach residents describe “dirty big black croc” and local tracks
Several Wangetti Beach residents and regular visitors described the ‘locals’’ tracks used to access the beach through the bush and mangroves, and why they carried knives while walking these tracks.
Cohen “Matty” Hollands, lived at Wangetti Beach, and said he carried a knife with him for self defence when he checked his crab pots or walked the tracks because of a “dirty big black croc” he had seen in the past.
Evan McCrea was said to be a nudist and regular visitor to the beach, who had made conversation with a woman there a few weeks before Ms Cordingley died, inviting her to a nudist resort.
He was questioned about his whereabouts the day Ms Cordingley died, and about violent episodes in his past, with his mother giving evidence that he was home that day.
Another man who visited Wangetti the day Ms Cordingley died, schoolteacher Remy Fry, said he had visited his mum, and she told the jury she had helped her son sort through some clothes that day.
Post mortem evidence details Ms Cordingley’s injuries
Forensic pathologist Dr Paul Botterill described the injuries to Ms Cordingley, noting she had defensive wounds as well as extensive stabbing and cutting injuries.
Dr Botterill told the jury the injuries to Ms Cordingley’s neck were among the most significant, saying the area had been cut “a minimum of four times, but possibly more.”
The court heard Ms Cordingley was likely alive when her neck was cut, with sand found in her lungs suggesting she inhaled it at the time. He said it was difficult to say what sort of weapon was used to cause the injuries and it may have been one or two. “A knife of any size could have been used,” he said.
“Nothing suggests it had to be a large knife.”
Ms Cordingley’s new friend questioned
Podiatrist Tyson Franklin was questioned about his relationship with Toyah Cordingley.
In the days before her death, Ms Cordingley and Mr Franklin exchanged texts about relationships, bonding quickly over shared interests and personal feelings. Their messages included discussions about her boyfriend, her happiness, and sexual interests, with hints at possible romantic attraction.
After Ms Cordingley went missing, police visited Mr Franklin’s home as part of their inquiries. Text messages between the pair were presented to the jury, including one from Mr Franklin which read: “I know what you’re like in person, out and about chilling, but what do you like in the bedroom? I can never, ever pick what someone is or isn’t into.”
Originally published as Toyah Cordingley murder trial told DNA on stick 'highly likely' to be from accused murderer
