$1M paid for alleged killer’s arrest
One million dollars in reward money has been paid out to people who offered up crucial information that lead to the arrest of a man wanted for the murder of a Queensland woman.
Toyah Cordingley, 24, was killed while walking her dog on Wangetti Beach about 40km north of Cairns, in October 2018.
Her father discovered her body while searching the beach.
Indian nurse Rajwinder Singh, 38, quickly became the main person of interest in her alleged murder but police were unable to speak with him as he boarded a flight to India the following day, leaving his wife and children behind.
After a number of years passed without any leads on his whereabouts, a $1m reward was offered up on November 3, 2022 to anyone who could provide police with information leading them to Mr Singh and ultimately his arrest.
Police confirmed last week the entire million dollars had been paid out to those who offered up crucial information that lead to his arrest.
A Queensland Police Service spokesperson confirmed the reward was paid to a number of claimants.
“We appreciate the significant public interest in this matter, however information provided on the process is limited as it is obtained on a confidential basis,” they said in a statement.
“As such we will not reveal specifics of the reward only to advise it has been paid in full to a number of claimants.”
It is understood to be the first time QLD police have paid out reward money.
Just twenty-two days after the reward was announced, Australian Federal Police officers arrested Mr Singh in Delhi, India and he was promptly extradited back to Queensland.
He was charged with Ms Cordingley’s murder and is due to face a three-week trial in the first half of 2024.
The father-of-two lived in Innisfail, 123km south of Wangetti Beach, at the time of the alleged crime but is originally from Buttar Kalan, Punjab India.
Police spent years trying to track him down and bring him back to Australia for questioning.
