Toya Cordingley's death shocked Australia
On a long stretch of beautiful sand at the northernmost point of Australia's tropics, Whangeti Beach is Toya Kodingley's favourite beach.
It's also where she died, in an attack dubbed "madness, cruelty and sadism."
On October 21, 2018, the 24-year-old went to the beach to walk her dog, as she had done countless times before, but never came home.
The next morning, her father found her "messy" body half-buried in the dunes. Her beloved dog was kept on a leash nearby and unharmed.
Four years on, Australian authorities are calling on the public to help launch an international hunt for what they believe was the killer of Toya-Lavind Singh.
The nurse lives in Innisfell but is from Butalkaran, Punjab, India. Hours after Toya's body was found, he fled Australia after leaving his job, wife and three children.
Media reports quoted witnesses as saying that on the day of Toya's murder, they saw Singh in a suspicious shape with scratches and bite marks on his body.
Australian and Indian officials have agreed on an extradition order, but so far the 38-year-old has not been able to locate him.
As a result, Queensland Police last week announced a record reward – A$1 million (£563,000) or INR 53 million – for anyone who provides the information that led to his arrest.
"We know people know this person, they know where this person is, and we ask these people to do the right thing," Police Minister Mark Ryan told reporters on Thursday.
"This person has been charged with a very heinous crime; A crime that tore a family apart. ”
Everyone knows her
Hours after Toya's body was found, Mr Singh showed up at Sydney Airport
Detectives gave no details about the cause of Toya's death, but there were reports that she had "severe" and "visible" scars on her body when she was found on a beach 40km north of Cairns.
Police said they believed the attack may have been sexually motivated.
Councilman Warren Ench said in an interview that locals were appalled by the horrific killings that took place in this idyllic friendly neighborhood.
They are outraged that this kind of thing can happen to such well-known and beloved members of this close-knit community.
"Everyone knows who she is," local MP Michael Kerr told reporters.
Toya is described as friendly, intelligent, and best known for her passion for animals.
"She touched a lot of people in a short period of time, and she was that kind of person," said Mr. Kerr, who manages an animal shelter where she volunteers.
Toya's death comes amid a spate of murders in Australia amid growing concerns about the safety of young women.
Many desperately believe she is not safe for a walk on a public beach — even in broad daylight with a large dog by her side.
Queensland Premier Anastasia Parašchuk said at the time: "It's heartbreaking – as a woman, I want women to be able to get out there and live their lives."
"This shouldn't happen to young women walking their dogs on Sundays – that's reality."
Why Mr. Singh is a suspect
In the days following Toya's death, the community desperately tried to catch her killer.
Police received a mountain of reports, with hundreds of people searching for clues at the Wangeti beach.
According to ABC, police began asking locals for DNA samples and searching for evidence.
Some interesting things were found during one such search north of Cairns, but police did not elaborate on what was found.
Ms. Curdingley volunteers at several animal shelters
Police searched Mr Singh's home in Innisfair, about two hours from the crime scene, but could not question him. He has already left the country.
Mr Singh's brother-in-law had previously told the local newspaper messenger mail that the timing of his return to his hometown was a coincidence.
"Raj is not capable of killing," Harprett Singh said in 2018.
"He was too quiet, too scared. He has a stressful job. ”
But the Australian government sought an extradition order in March 2021 to do so only if investigators have sufficient evidence to prosecute.
Last month, Indian authorities granted the request, meaning police could arrest Singh and repatriate him to Australia if they could find him.
After four long years, Toya's heartbroken family hopes justice will finally come.
They had to watch Toya's friends grow up, get married, and have children, knowing that the people who took her life "went unpunished and did not bear any consequences for their appalling crimes."
"Toya is a young woman who will never get a chance to live a full life, everything she needs... All taken away," her father, Troy Cordingley, said in announcing the reward.
"Although justice will not resurrect Toya, justice is the least she deserves."