Very interesting info here from today’s bail hearing.
A Queensland mother who was allegedly strangled by her husband in a “murderous rage” felt scared a year before she was found dead next to a lawnmower at their home.
Frances Crawford – a mother of three – was found lifeless on her Lockyer Valley property on July 30 last year next to a ride-on lawnmower at the bottom of a retaining wall.
Her husband, Robert Crawford, has been charged with her murder and trying to make it look like an accident, but he is defending the charges.
During Crawford’s lengthy bail application in Brisbane Supreme Court, the details of Frances’ final hours alive were revealed where prosecution alleged Crawford went to lengths to manipulate the crime scene.
Crown prosecutor Chris Cook said the couple’s Amazon Alexa was turned off around 8.48pm on July 30 before Signal messages were sent between the pair’s phones.
A Signal message was sent from Frances’ phone to Crawford’s phone at 11.21pm saying: “hey are you going to put the lawnmower away soon?”
At 11.24pm, a message is sent from Crawford’s phone explaining he was dealing with a work issue, followed by “just give me a sec, then you can just turn sprinklers off if it’s easier xx.”
Defence barrister Saul Holt said Crawford frantically looked around the property for his wife before finding her under the 260kg lawnmower and calling emergency services around 3.30am.
Mr Holt said it was credible that Frances went to move the lawnmower herself and fatally fell in a terrible accident.
But Mr Cook said this was “fanciful”, alleging Crawford sent the message from her phone to “manipulate the scene” after strangling her in a “murderous rage” and moving her body under the mower.
Mr Cook said Frances’ robe was found in the house, rings on the bench, and dishes in the sink as if her nightly routine hadn’t been finished.
He also said no grass was found on the bottom of her shoes, but a piece was found in her sock.
“He paints himself as waking up in the middle of the night, rolling over and she’s not there and goes looking for her, but what we see on this document is he’s using his phone a lot throughout the evening … and his bed is made, so the inference is he hadn’t been sleeping,” Mr Cook said.
Crawford’s family, including his own children, described him as a “master manipulator” who tormented them over a long period of time and played the victim.
The couple had previously separated and were seeing a marriage counsellor prior to Frances’ death after Crawford admitted to cheating on her for 10 years.
Mr Cook said police will allege Crawford staged the murder scene.
“He manipulated the scene after killing his wife and painted himself as the victim,” Mr Cook said.
“He paints a picture of a middle-aged woman going out to a lawnmower in the middle of the night in a very cold winter without a jacket on.
“His children say she wouldn’t do that … it’s common sense.”
A pathology report states Frances suffered a fractured hyoid bone to the neck, a large laceration to the back of her head, and bruises and cuts over her body.
Trace DNA of Crawford was also found under all 10 of Frances’ fingernails.
Mr Holt poked holes in the pathology report and expert analysis, saying Mr Crawford had no scratch marks, and it was common for couples to have each other’s DNA under their nails.
He said the autopsy report considered both strangulation and accident as causes of death, with expert analysis unable to completely rule out the scenario.
Mr Holt said the prosecution case was “very weak” and expert analysis was “flawed”, and argued Crawford should be granted bail.
“It’s at the very least a highly-contestable prosecution case. Mr Crawford is and will be highly-motivated to defend it rather than run away from it.”
Mr Holt said Crawford had no criminal history, had a small but supportive family unit, and was not a flight risk despite being a pilot.
Crawford’s father offered a $250,000 surety for his son’s bail.
Justice Frances Williams reserved her decision.
