Mum found murdered daughter's dog on beach moments before body was discovered
The parents of slain Queensland woman Toyah Corindgley found her dog alone on an isolated beach moments before her body was found in the nearby dunes.
As the hunt for the 24-year-old’s killer reaches its fourth day, her stepfather, Darren Gardiner has revealed that it was Ms Cordingley’s mother, Vanessa Gardiner, who found her dog on Wangetti Beach, north of Cairns.
Her father, Troy Cordingley, later found her lifeless body in the dunes, according to reports.
A crime scene remains in place where the woman’s body was found on Monday, a day after she visited the beach to walk her dog.
Despite receiving over 240 pieces of information from the public since launching an investigation into the animal lover’s death, police are still scouring for clues.
Forensic dogs and SES volunteers combed the beach on Thursday, a day after police door-knocked homes near the beach and requested DNA samples.
“They’re just elimination samples … purely voluntary,” Detective Inspector Sonia Smith told reporters.
Det Insp Smith said 50 of the leads produced by the public were being followed up by investigators but police are still calling for anyone with information to come forward.
“We need to get answers for Toyah’s family,” Ms Smith said.
Police are also investigating reports of lewd and suspicious behaviour that took place at the surrounding beaches.
The Cairns Post received numerous reports of nude men displaying deviant behaviour in recent months.
Crime Stoppers displays will be established over the weekend at the Rusty’s Markets in Cairns and at Wangetti beach in the hopes it will jog the memory of any other witnesses.
“It doesn’t matter how small or how big they think the information is, please come forward,” Ms Smith said.
Regular users of the Wangetti car park at the southern end of the beach and anyone who may have interacted with Ms Cordingley when she visited Rusty’s Markets on Sunday between midday and 1pm are of particular interest to investigators.
Ms Smith said the public had provided dash cam footage from October 21 on the Captain Cook Highway between the beach’s northern and southern car parks, but more footage would be welcome.
