Australia - Frances Crawford 49, found dead after suspicious lawn mower accident in Queensland.

[TootsieFootsie]

I hope they've given him a blankee to keep him nice and warm while being questioned.

 

[Eloise]

I wouldn’t put it past him. During GBC’s trial on a couple of occasions he winked at the pretty journalist sitting next to me as he stepped into his seat

ugh. I wish we had a vomit reaction emoji

 

[Charlot123]

From an article dated 2019, wearing a wedding ring.


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Spartan’s star turn

One of the newest planes in the Royal Australian Air Force made a brief landing in Port Hedland while carrying out operations in the Pilbara.

www.northwesttelegraph.com.au

And then in May, 2023…. No wedding ring….

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No Cookies | Townsville Bulletin

No Cookies | Townsville Bulletin

www.townsvillebulletin.com.au

My name for him is Big Ears.

“This is Sparta!”

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https://www.couriermail.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-qld/pilot-robert-crawford-arrested-over-death-of-wife-at-lockyer-valley-property/news-story/eeedfb238035eeac89bad24beb4898a1

“Faded…”

 

[SouthAussie]

I think there was one initial misstep that explained the rest. Maybe DV episode was enough. But I always think of a hypothetical situation. When my toddlers would start to walk, I’d get on all four and crawl over the house, trying to imagine how the house would look for the baby. And then I’d see many things not seen from my “normal” perspective, such as the corner of a table cover, long enough for the baby to reach and pull, for example. That was incredibly helpful for child-proofing the place.
Sometimes I wonder if this is what Mr. Crawford forgot to do. The incident scene must have looked convincing for Mr. Crawford, or to anyone who’d be looking down at the scene: the hill, the body, the mower, the retaining wall. But to anyone that would go down the hill, stand at the retaining wall level and look upstairs, at the top of the hill (“from the body’s perspective”), something was amiss.

Could it be the case? It may be easy to make a mistake when staging an accident.

Especially if a person is staging it at nighttime. imo

I was thinking about that when you mentioned a crowbar being able to tip a ride-on mower. Maybe there was a crowbar indentation in the ground that the (alleged) killer couldn't see. Or a jack mark on the ground, if a jack was used to tip it.

 

[drsleuth]

I wonder if they have now got a cause of death back that shows it was no accident?

 

[Kemug]

“Investigations have revealed Mr Crawford has connected with women in Italy, United States of America, Papua New Guinea, Guam, Afghanistan, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Western Australia, ACT, Northern Territory, NSW, Victoria, and Queensland.”

RSBM
Afghanistan I can understand - I would be desperate to leave, and happy to smooch up with anyone who could fly a plane.

 

[vls12345]

https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/crime/husband-arrested-over-rideon-mower-death-of-frances-elizabeth-crawford/news-story/3065baa113534ea1dbcad996a11ea293

Police are expected to speak to the media later on Thursday.

Maybe that's when they will officially announce charges against him?

 

[Charlot123]

With all of the alleged other women in his life, I am going to guess that there is one that he had decided he was wanting over his wife.

Or…his wife said I’m done, I want a divorce.

Weren’t they Christians? Or was it only Frances? While the suspected murder might have financial reason, there could be a lot of other factors. Loss of the support of his community, especially if the new Belle Dame was not local, perhaps even loss of a certain support at work. Usually if the situation is so bad that it amounts to DV, the charge is retracted in exchange for family counseling. JMO - it was offered, but with RC’s travels, the sessions probably fizzled out. Maybe Frances, being a believer, tried to fight for the sanctity of the marriage. JMO.

I expect, predictably, RC to turn “holier than the Pope” in jail. However, as the case unfolds, we shall be privy not to names but to certain lies of RC. I suspect he lost any faith a long time ago but at the same time, was using the support of the community to his fullest. This creates the double-faced Janus situation.

BTW, I always thought that Frances’ parents were unaware of the situation specifically because of this. They probably were believing themselves and holding marriage wows high. Maybe Frances was simply protecting her old parents. Or else, she hoped that therapy would help.

 

[Charlot123]

RSBM
Afghanistan I can understand - I would be desperate to leave, and happy to smooch up with anyone who could fly a plane.

To me Afghanistan shows that he was stupid and lazy enough to have affairs with nearby women in the service, probably in Air Force. While uncommon, it does get known, of course.

 

[SouthAussie]

I wonder if Frances' pastor knew anything. Frances may have turned to him for counselling, knowing that it would be strictly private. And he decided to help police about the state of Frances' marriage, posthumously.


Pastor Peter Sondergeld is the lead pastor at the Restoration Church in Toowoomba, which the Crawford family attended.
"We have lost a thoughtful, caring, selfless person who blessed so many within our church.
"Frances always had time to check in and care for others," he said.
"She was a beautiful person and her passing has left a hole in our hearts. Despite her wonderful qualities, what breaks our heart the most is the loss of our friend."

'Murdered' Queensland mum's home pops up on Airbnb as 'absolute bush paradise'

The belongings of Frances Crawford, who police say was murdered, were cleared from her home in the weeks after her death, before her husband advertised it on Airbnb.

www.abc.net.au

 

[SouthAussie]

Video of his actual arrest in this link. Looks like it may have happened at the marital (Air BnB) property.

The police have allowed/encouraged a public look at it. An officer is reading him his rights while he is sitting on the couch, after he has let them in. Then "stand up please" and they put the cuffs on him. There are 3 female officers making the arrest.

A lot of what the speaking officer is saying is blanked out. Probably because it contains too much detail (for now). imo

Footage shows moment husband arrested over ride-on mower death of Frances Elizabeth Crawford

 

[Marg944]

https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/crime/husband-arrested-over-rideon-mower-death-of-frances-elizabeth-crawford/news-story/3065baa113534ea1dbcad996a11ea293

 

[SouthAussie]

I am guessing the police have allowed this very public look at the arrest to encourage others who may know something to come forward.

In other words "he's getting locked up now, tell us what you know". (maybe)

imo

 

[SouthAussie]

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https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/crime/husband-arrested-over-rideon-mower-death-of-frances-elizabeth-crawford/news-story/3065baa113534ea1dbcad996a11ea293

Pillow and crumpled sheet on that couch. Maybe it was an early morning arrest - to catch him unaware - and he was sleeping on the couch.

 

[brissygirl2019]

Police have charged the husband of Frances Crawford, who died in a ride-on lawnmower incident in July, with murder and interfering with a corpse.

Husband of Queensland psychologist who died in apparent ride-on lawnmower incident charged with murder

Police have charged the husband of Frances Crawford with murder.

www.abc.net.au

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Husband of Queensland psychologist who died in apparent ride-on lawnmower incident charged with murder

Police have charged the husband of Frances Crawford with murder.

www.abc.net.au

"The family is relieved and pleased with this progress being made in the case," a spokesperson for the family said.


Mr Crawford is expected to appear in the Ipswich Magistrates Court tomorrow.

They're not upset and saying he couldn't have done it.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Maybe she was murdered, then placed at the bottom of the retaining wall, and then the mower was pushed down towards her.
Perhaps the mower landed at a distance from her, and/or there were no marks on her body of having come into contact with the mower.

 

[Marg944]

“Mr Crawford was taken in handcuffs to Ipswich Police Station in a t-shirt and shorts and, according to The Courier Mail, smirked as he was taken through the roller doors.”

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/crime/husband-of-woman-arrested-after-wife-frances-crawford-was-killed-in-a-suspicious-rideon-mower-incident/news-story/7107b13c6eb215f4bb411309b2ec05f4

I thought he looked like he was smirking when I was trying to capture stills within the video!

https://www.couriermail.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-qld/pilot-robert-crawford-arrested-over-death-of-wife-at-lockyer-valley-property/news-story/eeedfb238035eeac89bad24beb4898a1

 

[Trooper]

Staging a murder is (probably ) rather difficult. He'd have to know the physics of the mower, and it's propensity to kill, the gradient of the retaining wall, the height and weight of his wife, and have that ephemeral thing, luck,.

And like so many killers, he was probably in a hurry.. We don't know when she died, but the whole 3.40am thing is suspect as hell, not just her 'mowing the lawn' at that time, but him actively looking for her at that time. Why would he be doing that?

Most probably he killed her close to 3.40, took her outside and then jigged around with the mower... THen ran in and phoned the police.....
None of it sounds even slightly credible, starting with her mowing the lawn.

 

[drsleuth]

Pillow and crumpled sheet on that couch. Maybe it was an early morning arrest - to catch him unaware - and he was sleeping on the couch.

I noticed that & thought he was curled up with his blankie, depressed & pinning for his dead wife

I think your thoughts are correct.