A decorated Air Force pilot is facing murder charges after authorities allege he fatally strangled his wife and meticulously staged a scene to appear as an accidental lawnmower incident, a Queensland court heard.
Robert John Crawford, 47, stands accused of murdering Frances Elizabeth Crawford, 47, and tampering with her remains. He was formally charged on October 10, 2024, following the discovery of his wife’s body at their property near Upper Lockyer, west of Brisbane, on July 30, 2024.
During a recent bail application in Queensland Supreme Court, defense barrister Saul Holt argued that the prosecution’s case lacked substantive evidence. He contended that there was no definitive proof Crawford acted with “murderous rage” when allegedly strangling his wife.
The prosecution, led by Crown prosecutor Chris Cook, presented a starkly different narrative. According to Cook, Frances Crawford was strangled within her home’s ensuite bathroom and subsequently transported outside and positioned near the apparent lawnmower accident site at the base of a retaining wall.
“The forensic report strongly supports strangulation as the cause of death, ruling out injury from a riding mower’s steering wheel,” Cook stated. He further characterized Crawford as a skilled manipulator with a history of exploiting others.
Here’s what prosecutors allege:
- Frances Crawford had previously sought a protective order against her husband, citing concerns for her safety.
- Witnesses have testified to Crawford’s manipulative nature, describing him as adept at portraying himself as the victim.
The court was presented with text message exchanges between the couple’s phones, which prosecutors believe were sent by Crawford using his wife’s device.
“A message sent to Mr. Crawford’s phone at 11:21 p.m. inquired whether he would move the mower soon,” Cook explained. “It’s plausible that Ms. Crawford had already been strangled by this point, and Mr. Crawford was using her device to send messages to himself, allowing him time to manipulate the scene before reporting the incident several hours later.”
Crawford contacted emergency services at 3:37 a.m., claiming he discovered his wife’s body.
“The suggestion that a middle-aged woman would venture out in the dead of night, unclad and unprotected from the cold winter weather, to move a lawnmower is implausible,” Cook asserted. “Her family confirmed she wouldn’t behave like that.”
Defense attorney Holt offered a $250,000 surety and proposed monitoring Crawford with a GPS tracker if he were granted bail. “He has no prior criminal record and is strongly motivated to clear his name rather than flee,” Holt stated.
Justice Frances Williams deferred her decision on the bail application, indicating she would announce it at a later date.
If you or someone you know needs support, please contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
