'Thoughts and prayers are with you': Friends rally around distraught boyfriend of a woman, 24, murdered on a secluded beach - as divers scour waterways looking for her belongings

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The boyfriend of a woman who was murdered on a quiet beach in north Queensland is being comforted by friends as police hunt her killer. 

Marco Heidenreich, who had been in a relationship with Toyah Cordingley for nearly three years, was pictured alongside a close friend, sitting in the sun on what appeared to be the balcony of a pub.

Ms Cordingley's body was found on Wangetti Beach, near Cairns, on Monday morning. She was last seen taking her dog for a walk the day before. 

The photo of Mr Heidenreich, shared by a friend to social media, was 'reacted' to with likes and hearts, and one man commented: 'Our thoughts and prayers are with you Marco'. 

It is the first time he has been pictured since the devastating news of his girlfriend's murder.

A picture taken last week of Marco Heidenreich (left) was shared to social media on Tuesday, as friends rallied around the grieving man just days after his girlfriend, 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley, was brutally murdered on Wangetti Beach on Sunday. The image received multiple 'love' reactions, and one friend said: 'Our thoughts and prayers are with you Marco'

Friends said Ms Cordingley had been walking her boyfriend's dog, Jersey, when she died.

The Port Douglas man, a fellow animal lover who appears to own multiple dogs and multiple snakes, has not commented on his girlfriend's death.

The post coincided with revelations Ms Cordingley had suffered 'visible and violent' injuries when she was killed in the sand dunes at Wangetti Beach on Sunday.

Police divers were called in from Brisbane on Tuesday to help specialist detectives, Cairns police officers and SES volunteers scour the area for the pharmacy worker's personal possessions. 

Mr Heidenreich (right) is believed to have been dating Ms Cordingley (left) for nearly three years. The pair share a deep love of animals, and Ms Cordingley is believed to have been walking one of Mr Heidenreich's dogs when she was killed

Police divers from Brisbane have been called in to the far north beach to help search for Ms Cordingley's personal possessions (pictured is police searching on the beach, which is now a crime scene)

The extensive search is expected to continue on throughout the day, though no update was available from police on Wednesday morning. 

Ms Cordingley disappeared after going to walk her dog at Wangetti Beach on Sunday about 2pm.

She was reported missing at 11pm that night, and her body was found in sand dunes at the beach on Monday morning, with 'visible and violent' injuries inflicted on it.

Residents told The Courier Mail the dunes were often the scene of 'sexually deviant' behaviour by 'odd bods' and vagrants. 

One witness told the paper he and a group of 15 friends were at the northern end of the beach with other families that afternoon.

They were driving back to Cairns near the southern car park, where Ms Cordingley's car was found, when they were waved down by two scruffily dressed men 'in a highly agitated state' on the side of the highway in a white 4WD ute with a flat tyre.

The witness has given a statement to police. 

'We stopped to help, and they were in a really stressed state,' he told the publication.

'It might be nothing, but they were really strange, and in a real panic to get out of there.' 

A full-scale homicide investigation has been launched as police hunt Ms Cordingley's killer, but police are yet to announce a person of interest. On Tuesday, officers urged anyone with dashcam footage or other information to come forward

A full-scale homicide investigation was launched after Ms Cordingley's body was found, with police urging anyone who knew anything or had been at the beach that day to come forward.

As of Tuesday, police were not commenting on whether a person of interest had been located, but Detective Inspector Sonia Smith said officers were 'keeping an open mind' to what could have happened. 

'All lines of inquiry will be followed, and all relevant examinations will be conducted,' she said.

Police have appealed for anyone who was on the beach that afternoon and who has dashcam footage of the area or either carpark to come forward.

Officers are also looking to speak with anyone who was at Rusty's Markets in central Cairns between 12pm or 1pm, where Ms Cordingley is believed to have been before she headed to the beach. 

With Ms Cordingley's killer on the loose, and no publicised leads as to who is responsible for the death, Det Insp Smith said people should take precautions. 

'Everybody should be aware of their surroundings, and have a safety plan wherever they are,' she said.

Ms Cordingley was an animal lover, who was remembered for her kind nature and deep compassion for all creatures great and small.

Paws and Claws Refuge and Boarding Centre in Port Douglas, where she once worked, said in a statement the woman's 'heart was pure and innocent, and her dedication and love for animals was unmatched'. 

Ms Cordingley was found at Wangetti Beach on Monday morning in sand dunes between the foreshore and the start of bushland, and police are still hunting her killer

Ms Cordingley's best friend, Megan Amour, shared a heartbreaking letter about how she was grieving and could not believe the 24-year-old was gone

'She could calm the most distressed dog with grace and handle the large and boisterous ones with ease. Her calmness and special ways were inspiring,' the statement read.

Grieving friends turned to social media to share the devastating news of her death and pay tribute to the 'amazing' woman.

Ms Cordingley's best friend, Megan Amour, broke her silence on Tuesday with a devastating open letter about her broken heart.

Shared under a five minute video of pictures of the pair together, Ms Amour said she was still not able to believe what had happened, and kept catching herself imagining a better outcome.

'I can't believe this, I refuse to believe this,' she wrote.

'I drove to find you, I thought we were going to find you being the environment lover you are, I was so sure of it. 

'I'm so angry, I'm so frustrated and I've been walking around the house grieving and then thinking: 'It's not real, it's not my Toyah, it's someone else'.

'I'm not familiar with this process, I've never in my life have lost anyone as close as you are to me and this is the worst time I've ever encounter.'

Locals have said the sand dune area of the quiet beach is a hot spot for 'sexually deviant' 'oddbods' and vagrants 

She told followers Ms Cordingley was a 'gypsy soul' who lived her life to the fullest and was beloved wherever she went.

'I wanted to be like you, I wanted to be the gypsy soul you were,' she wrote. 

'I wanted to be flawless and not just the beauty you had on the outside but the beauty you had on the inside. 

'You were different to everyone, you followed what you believed in, you had nobody hating you, you lived life to the fullest and you respected everyone else's decisions. You had such a big heart and a beautiful loving family you adored.'

Earlier this month, Ms Amour said she'd asked Ms Cordingley to stand behind her as she married the man of her dreams. 'It took you less than a minute to start planning everything with me,' she recalled.  

'I started to feel like I can't get married anymore, because you wont be there, you won't be there standing with me and witnessing this milestone of my life,' she said.

Friends remembered the 'amazing' young woman for her kind nature and friendly dog (pictured: Ms Cordingley after she accepted Ms Amour's invitation to be a bridesmaid 

'You will be there somehow, I will make sure of it, your memory will be shared every day for as long as I live.

'I will be sharing the funny, loving, crazy memories about 'Aunty ToyToy' to [my daughter] Rose when she's older and tell her that she would have loved you the way I did.  

'I'm betting you're going to be the prettiest angel up there with the prettiest wings, and over a thousand of puppy angels surrounding you. 

'Look over us, and shine bright my honey, there will not be a day where I don't think of you because believe me every single day is going to hurt. I love you.'

In a separate Facebook post, friend Hayden Chalkin wrote: 'No words could describe how amazing of a person you were.'

 'I can't believe you're gone. I can't believe I'm never going to see your smile again. I can't believe I'm never going to hear your voice again. I can't believe I'm writing this post. 

'I don't know what to think, I don't know what to say. I'm going to miss you so much. 

'You didn't deserve this and you will never be forgotten.' 

Anyone with information is urged to call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000. 

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Queensland Police for further comment.  

Wangetti Beach (pictured) is about 40km north of Cairns. Ms Cordingley was found about 800m from the southern entrance, in an area that is not highly frequented