Pilot accused of killing wife in ‘murderous rage’ and using lawnmower to cover it up in dramatic court scenes

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New details of the case have been revealed against a pilot of Queensland Raaf accused of killing his wife and when organizing his death to look like a tragic accident in court.

Brisbane’s Supreme Court listened to the accusations played during a bail application on Monday, and the Prosecutor’s Office said that Robert James Crawford entered a “murderous anger” before killing his wife, Frances Elizabeth Crawford, and then trying to cover up the crime in her property of Upper Lockyer.

Crawford, 47, who was not present at the audience, is accused of the murder of Mrs. Crawford, 49, whose body was found at the base of a retaining wall near a top in her property around 3.40 am of July 30, 2024.

Robert Crawford arrives at the Ipswich police station. Image: Nigel Hallett
Chamber iconRobert Crawford arrives at the Ipswich police station. Nigel Hallett Credit: News Corp Australia
Frances Crawford was found dead on the couple's property near a grasswalk.
Chamber iconFrances Crawford was found dead on the couple’s property near a grasswalk. Credit: Supplied

The prosecutor of the crown, Chris Cook, described Crawford as a “master manipulator” that flew to a “murderous anger”, strangled his wife inside his house and tried to disguise the crime by placing his body under the cutter so that he seems to died in a strange accident.

“This man will do everything possible to hide his crime and escape from punishment,” Cook told the Court.

“He manipulated the scene after killing his wife.”

The Court was told that the couple’s marriage was deteriorating after years of infidelity, that Crawford’s lawyer said he admitted.

Cook said there were signs that the relationship was finishing and alleged that after Crawford killed his wife, messages were sent to his wife’s phone so that it seems that he had left to move the cutter before being killed.

“Are you going to save the corteped soon?” According to the reports, Crawford sent a text message to his wife during the night.

“Just give me a second,” she replied.

Crawford told the Police that he woke up in the middle of the night, turned around and noticed that his wife was missing, which led him to look for her. However, a photo that shows the judge on Monday represented the couple’s bed as made and not disturbed, although Judge Frances Williams said that the doona could have been arrested to appear that way.

Robert Crawford supposedly entered a
Chamber iconRobert Crawford supposedly entered a “murderous anger” before strangling his wife, Frances Crawford, and then tried to cover up the crime by placing his body under a lawn cutter on his property of Upper Lockyer. Image: supplied. Credit: News Corp Australia

Cook also highlighted several inconsistencies, such as the unwashed dishes and the rings of Mrs. Crawford that were at the kitchen counter, the details she said indicated that she was still in the middle of her night routine. He argued that it made little sense that she left near midnight to move a grass cutter.

Crawford’s lawyer, Saul Holt, said the couple had previously argued to move the corteped, since their battery was loading and the sprinklers were scheduled to light.

He said that after discovering his wife, he tried to lift the 260 kg mapping and immediately called Triple-0 before trying to resuse her.

Mr. Holt described him as a “tragic accident.”

According to the reports, a small amount of blood from Mr. and Mrs. Crawford was found in her private bathroom, including the footprints in the shower.

Mr. Holt argued that it was illogical that, given the reach of the main laceration of Mrs. Crawford, significant blood was not found within the house or along the road where she supposedly moved her body.

According to the reports, Crawford only had a slight mark on the left ring finger, an injury that his lawyer argued that it was insufficient to explain the presence of his blood. Mr. Holt suggested that the traces of his wife’s blood in the bathroom could be explained by his attempts to save her, followed by showering later.

The defense also threw doubts about forensic conclusions, noting that, although a doctor found that the cause of death leaned towards manual strangulation, they recognized that the possibility of a corteped accident could not be ruled out.

A teacher expected testifying for the crown concluded that death was inconsistent with an accident, although Holt dismissed the opinion as “completely unrealistic” and strongly played many of the professor’s conclusions.

Mr. Holt described the case of the crown as “very weak”, arguing that the probability that he was expelled in the commission stage was “completely alive.”

Frances Crawford, 49, who was found at the bottom of a retention wall in his property of Upper Lockyer on July 30, 2024. The husband of Mrs. Crawford, Robert Crawford, is accused of his murder. Image: QLD Police
Chamber iconFrances Crawford, 49, who was found at the bottom of a retention wall in his property of Upper Lockyer on July 30, 2024. The husband of Mrs. Crawford, Robert Crawford, is accused of his murder. Image: QLD Police Credit: Supplied

He argued that there is no history of violence, or previous convictions, or accusations of physical abuse towards his wife.

Cook responded by stating that some of the defense statements were “fantasy” and that the crown had a “strong” case.

It was also told the court that Crawford’s children, which are expected to witness in the case, had a “bad relationship” with their father.

According to reports, a witness described Crawford in a statement as a “controller” and “intimidating.”

He told the court that after the death of his wife, Crawford flew to Papua New Guinea for a business trip, a trip that his lawyer said he had been planned before his death.

Holt said he had a long -standing career with the RAAF and that he received the support of a small but dedicated group in the community.

His father also offered a guarantee of $ 250,000 to ensure bail.

Cook argued against the bond, stating that Crawford was a risk of escape. He referred to Crawford’s pilot license, his access to light airplanes and his recent requests for passport renewal, pointing out that he has multiple passports, including diplomatic.

Judge Williams reserved his decision to be delivered at a later date.

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