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Toyah Cordingley death: Family seen picnicking at beach urged to speak to police

Police are urging a family who were at a Queensland beach where Toyah Cordingley was found dead to come forward with anything they might have seen.

Detectives investigating the homicide 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley continue to appeal for information from the public.
Detectives investigating the homicide 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley continue to appeal for information from the public. Source: Facebook @QueenslandPolice

A family who were at the north Queensland beach where a woman's body was discovered are being urged to come forward and tell police what they might have seen on the day of her death.

Toyah Cordingley had gone to Wangetti Beach, north of Cairns, on Sunday afternoon to walk a dog but went missing, with her body found the next morning in the dunes.

A map of Wangetti Beach where 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley's body was found.
A map of Wangetti Beach where 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley's body was found. Source: Facebook @QueenslandPolice Home

Detectives want to speak to everyone who was on the beach on Sunday as they piece together what led to the 24-year-old's death.

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"We have information there were two adults and two children and they left the beach area at about 1:20pm," Detective Inspector Sonia Smith told reporters on Saturday.

"We are keen to speak to them to see what they saw."

Forensic dogs and SES volunteers have combed the beach and police have asked for DNA samples from residents living in nearby homes.

Hundreds of pieces of information have been collected but Det Insp Smith has urged people in the area to be aware of anything that might help them find the young woman's killer.

"Is there anyone they know who has unexplained injuries, anyone who has movements that can't be accounted for last Sunday and anyone who can't have their clothing accounted for?"

Police say Ms Cordingley spent about an hour at Rusty's Markets in Cairns on Sunday before leaving in a blue Mitsubishi Lancer about 1pm, dropping home and then travelling to the northern beaches about 1.30pm.

Her car was spotted going past Clifton Beach, near Palm Cove, about 2pm and then again at the southern end of Wangetti Beach.

Those who on Sunday afternoon visited Rex Range Lookout at the beach's north end have been asked to review any south-facing photos.

All dash cam footage shot on Sunday afternoon between Kewarra Beach and Port Douglas is also being sought.

Police are also staffing info hubs at Rusty's Markets and at Wangetti beach over the weekend, in the hope it will jog the memory of any other witnesses.


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