Police held early concerns lawnmower death was staged, court hears

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 10 Nov, 03:02 · Archive

Police suspected a woman's death in a lawnmower crash was staged to conceal murder, a Queensland court heard.

Robert John Crawford, 49, is accused of murdering his wife Frances by strangulation at their property west of Brisbane in the early hours of 30 July 2024. He pleaded not guilty at his Brisbane Supreme Court trial, which began in October.

A senior sergeant from Queensland Police's forensic crash unit testified that police held 'very early concern' the death was staged to conceal murder. The officer said he received a call at 4:37am and had tested the mower multiple times, including on the morning Frances Crawford died. Police formed the opinion the lawnmower was reversing with its headlights off when it went over a retaining wall. The officer noted there were scrape marks on the underside of the mower's cutting deck and damage to a support strut at the rear.

Frances Crawford's body was found at the bottom of the retaining wall near an overturned ride-on lawnmower after her husband called emergency services at 3:38am. The 49-year-old psychologist and mother-of-three was declared dead at the scene. Crawford's defence claims his wife died from crushing injuries or traumatic asphyxia after being caught under the lawnmower's steering wheel while moving the vehicle away from automated lawn sprinklers. Prosecutors claim Crawford faced losing the couple's $2 million property and his RAAF superannuation in a marriage separation.

How it is being reported

• 'Early concern' that lawnmower crash death was stagedA police officer who examined an apparent lawnmower crash after a woman's death says there were suspicions it had been staged, a jury has heard.Perth Now · 10 Nov, 02:37
• 'Early concern' that lawnmower crash death was stagedA police officer who examined an apparent lawnmower crash after a woman's death says there were suspicions it had been staged, a jury has heard.The West Australian · 10 Nov, 02:37

In this story: Robert John Crawford · Frances Crawford · Queensland Police · Brisbane

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