Trending
Prev Story
Next Story

Murder trial jury to visit property where Frances Crawford died

ABC News Australia •
November 03, 2026 • 07:56 PM
1
1 reads 0 reactions

Robert Crawford has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 49-year-old Frances Crawford in July 2024.

Murder trial jury to visit property where Frances Crawford died

Robert Crawford is on trial for the alleged murder of his wife, 49-year-old Frances Crawford. ( Supplied: Queensland Police Service )

Jurors in the trial over the murder of Frances Crawford will visit the property where she died.

Her husband, Robert Crawford, has pleaded not guilty to the 49-year-old's alleged murder.

Jurors will spend about an hour at the site in Upper Lockyer, west of Brisbane.

Jurors tasked with determining whether a former RAAF pilot killed his wife will today visit the southern Queensland property where she died.

Robert Crawford has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 49-year-old Frances Crawford in July 2024.

Prosecutors allege he caused her death by strangulation and/or inflicting blunt force trauma at their Upper Lockyer home before staging it to appear she had an accidental ride-on mower rollover.

His lawyers argue she died in a tragic accident.

The jury will visit the property where Frances Crawford was found dead in July 2024. ( Queensland Police Service )

On day seven of a Supreme Court trial being heard in Brisbane, the jury is expected to travel to the rural property to conduct a viewing.

The jury were told they would spend about an hour at the site and would be shown several locations.

They were told to wear sunscreen and bring hats and an umbrella in case it rains.

Mr Crawford, legal parties, the presiding trial judge and police are among those who are permitted to be present.

The jury has already heard that the couple had been dealing with ongoing relationship issues, which resulted from years of infidelity on Mr Crawford's part.

In mid-2023, the couple separated, but in the months before Mrs Crawford's death, Mr Crawford moved back into the family home on a trial basis, the jury has already heard.

On Tuesday, the jury were shown dozens of alleged crime scene photographs, which included a notebook which they heard was found in a pantry in the kitchen after her death.

Robert Crawford has pleaded not guilty to murder. ( ABC News: Tara Cassidy )

In handwritten notes, which the prosecution allege were authored by Mrs Crawford and were not dated, one entry said, "Living with Rob is a lot harder than I thought" and that it was not "romantic".

"I find I have less hope than before he moved back in," the note went on to say.

Another entry said Mr Crawford remained silent when his "long-term girlfriends" were criticised for having "no integrity" and "sleeping with a married man".

"He never backs me," the note said.

"His silence can be taken for defence of the girl."

A further note said, "He wants us to be able to share all our money" and mentioned "not having my own bank account for safety".

"I do not feel safe with any of this," that note went on to say.

Also written in the notebook were two costs versus benefits lists, with the headings "stay" and "leave", as well as several rules and consequences if broken.

Some of the rules listed in the notes shown to the jury were, "no conversations with any women that is not related to work", "no cheating", "no porn" and "no masturbation".

The jury was shown handwritten notes the prosecution says were written by Frances Crawford. ( Supplied )

The jury has already heard that, in the months before Mrs Crawford's death, Mr Crawford agreed to a list of boundaries for when they reconciled.

A Queensland Police Service forensic scientist also took the witness stand and testified about blood found in different places at the home, with several photographs shown to the jury.

Sergeant Owen Esaias told the jury he determined there were two plausible reasons for the blood stains found on a rock retaining wall above where Ms Crawford's body was found.

He said the most likely causes would be an already existing injury had come into contact with it, or an injury was caused as a result of contact with it.

"I put equal weight on those two scenarios," he said.

Photographs of a towel and a bath mat found in the couple's ensuite with blood on them were also shown to the jury.

The jury has already heard Mr Crawford had Mrs Crawford's blood on him after attempting CPR and had taken a shower in the ensuite after being interviewed by officers.

Sergeant Esaias told the jury there were limitations when analysing fabrics; however, he determined the most plausible cause of the blood on the bath mat was from "drip stains".

"That is where blood is falling vertically from a blood source … however, there are a number of other blood staining types I couldn't completely eliminate," he said.

Under cross-examination, he accepted the most likely source of the blood on the towel was due to the transfer from Mr Crawford when he showered.

Prev Swipe Story Next

Same Story from Other Publications

Compare how 5 other independent news outlets reported on this story.

5 Publications
The Age
1w ago
Jury in murder trial sees graphic wounds to wife’s head and neck

Jury in murder trial sees graphic wounds to wife’s head and neck

The jury in the trial of accused killer Robert Crawford has been shown images including a laceration caused “either by an object hitting her head, or her head hitting something”, according to a forensic pathologist.

#queensland #murder #jury
Compare →
Sydney Morning Herald (SMH)
1d ago
Beau Lamarre-Condon trial live updates: Accused double murderer, former NSW Police officer returns to witness box after judge sends jury home due to to ‘unexpected issue’

Beau Lamarre-Condon trial live updates: Accused double murderer, former NSW Police officer returns to witness box after judge sends jury home due to to ‘unexpected issue’

The accused killer has returned to the witness box for further cross-examination after the jury was sent home early on Wednesday.

#murder #jury
Compare →
Hamro Patro News
2d ago
Jury Finds Naresh Bhatt Guilty in Wife Mamata Kafle's Murder Case

Jury Finds Naresh Bhatt Guilty in Wife Mamata Kafle's Murder Case

Kathmandu. In the murder case of Mamata Kafle Bhatt in Virginia, USA, the prosecution did not rely on a single piece of evidence to find her husband Naresh Bhatt guilty. Evidence presented included...

#murder #jury
Compare →
The Kathmandu Post
2d ago
US jury finds Naresh Bhatt guilty of murdering wife Mamta Kafle

US jury finds Naresh Bhatt guilty of murdering wife Mamta Kafle

The Virginia jury also convicted Bhatt of concealing and defiling his wife’s body, which has never been found. He had claimed she died by suicide before he dismembered and disposed of her remains.

#murder #jury
Compare →
CNN International
3d ago
Bhatt emotionless as jury reads guilty verdict for wife’s murder | CNN

Bhatt emotionless as jury reads guilty verdict for wife’s murder | CNN

A jury found Virginia man Naresh Bhatt guilty of first-degree murder Tuesday, rejecting his claim on the stand that his wife died by suicide. In shocking testimony last week, Bhatt said he found her unconscious and when he couldn’t revive her, he panicked and dismembered and disposed of her body. He denied killing his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, whose body has never been found.

#murder #jury
Compare →

Related Stories

Property & Real Estate
Build #2611