Police conduct DNA tests and set up visual displays as the hunt for Toyah’s killer continues
Police searching for a breakthrough in their investigation into the murder Toyah Cordingley are taking DNA samples from witnesses.
They’re also contemplating dressing up dummies in the clothes she was wearing to help jog the memories of other potential witnesses.
The body of the 24 year-old Woree woman was found on Wangetti Beach south of Port Douglas on Monday.
She’d gone there the previous afternoon to walk her dog.
Police have been seeking public assistance in their investigation, calling on anyone who was at the beach or who may have seen Ms Cordingley at Rustys Markets in Cairns earlier in day, to contact them.
This Sunday, a week after her death, police will man pop-up stations at the markets and the southern carpark of the beach.
“We will have a Crimestoppers facility, we will have some detectives and they’ll be at Rustys Markets and at the southern carpark at Wangetti,” Senior Constable Russell Parker said.
“It’s an opportunity for people who go to those places regularly to talk to officers if they haven’t already.”
He said police have now been provided with an up-to-date photo of Ms Cordingley, which will be on display and there are also plans to have store dummies at the sites.
“The dummies would be dressed in similar clothing to what Ms Cordingley had been wearing.”
Rustys Markets have been closed since Sunday, with stall holders returning today for weekend trade.
Manager Justin Welchl said he has no doubt they will discuss the sad even as they stock their stands.
“I’m assuming today and tomorrow stall holders will talk and we’ll start hearing some stories and people may then recognise her, especially if she’s a regular.”
“I’m reminding all stall holders that if they do indeed recognise Toyah as a customer or in any capacity to let the police know anything at all that may be of assistance,” he said.
Already hundreds of people have contacted police, many of whom had been driving in area with dash cams.
“There are about four officers, that’s all they’ve been doing, looking through footage from dash cams and cameras,” Senior Constable Parker said.
Anyone with potentially useful information has been asked to provide a statement and give a sample of DNA.
“They include people who saw her car and people who live in the area.
“It’s a tactic that’s fairly recent,” Senior Constable Parker said.
“When the detectives speak with witnesses they give them the opportunity that they can supply a DNA swab.
“They don’t have to, but it’s an elimination sample, we can then eliminate those people.”
Senior Constable Parker couldn’t confirm whether the results of scientific tests on Ms Cordingley’s body have been returned to detectives, nor could he provide any detail on the exact time or cause of her death.
