Beach murder breakthrough: Detectives investigating Toyah Cordingley’s violent death are hunting for a male Indian nurse who fled overseas shortly after the 24-year-old’s body was found
- New details have emerged in the investigation of Toyah Cordingley’s murder
- A prime suspect, an Indian male nurse, is revealed to have fled the country
- He is believed to have returned to India within days of the discovery of her body
- Police are hoping to track his movements on the day of the grisly murder
A desperate manhunt has been launched for a key suspect in the beach murder of a 24-year-old woman.
Australian authorities are working with Interpol and Indian law enforcement to track down an Indian male nurse who was working at a far-north Queensland hospital near the beach where Toyah Cordingley was found dead nearly two months ago.
The nurse is understood to have packed up his belongings and flown back to India in the days after Ms Cordingley’s body was found in the dunes of Wangetti Beach by her distraught family, according to The Courier-Mail.
New details have emerged in the investigation of the Queensland beach murder of Toyah Cordingley (pictured)
The prime suspect in the young woman’s (pictured) murder has been reportedly revealed to have fled the country in the days after her body was discovered
Police are reportedly working to track the movements of the Indian man, who is believed to have travelled to Cairns on the day of the murder, and link his DNA to the crime scene.
He is understood to have worked at a hospital in the far-north Queensland suburb of Innisfail, about 125km south of Wangetti Beach.
In the days following the discovery of Ms Cordingley’s body, he disappeared from work without an explanation.
‘We can confirm the person is no longer an employee of Queensland Health,’ a statement provided to The Courier-Mail read.
Police are hoping to link the Indian man’s DNA to the beach where she was killed on Wangetti Beach (pictured)
‘This matter is under police investigation and therefore we will not be making any comment.’
Staff working in the same hospital as the suspect have reportedly provided statements to police about the man, his behaviour, professional record, personal details and his family history.
His family was also contacted, who declined to speak except to say the man was not home.
Queensland Police have also maintained silence for the ongoing investigation, a spokesperson telling Daily Mail Australia: ‘The Queensland Police Service will not be providing anything further other than the investigation is continuing’.
‘Speculation surrounding elements of the investigation are not helpful and have the potential to jeopardise it.’
Ms Cordingley (pictured) was found on Wangetti Beach by father Troy the morning after she died
The community have rallied around Ms Cordingley’s family, making more than 100 reports to Crime Stoppers while also distributing these bumper stickers to raise awareness
Ms Cordingley, who was described as a ‘beautiful soul’ by those close to her, was brutally murdered on October 21 in broad daylight.
The pharmacy assistant was walking her dog along the secluded beach when she was attacked, her body found the next morning by her father Troy almost one kilometre from where her car was parked.
Her dog was found alive and tightly bound to a nearby tree.
The far-north Queensland community rallied around her family, making more than 100 separate reports to Crime Stoppers, who continue to appeal for information.