World · East Asia & Pacific · 1 hr ago
Queensland jury hears injury evidence in Robert Crawford murder trial
Robert Crawford is accused of killing his wife, Frances, at their rural property in south-east Queensland in 2024.
Her body was found at the bottom of a retaining wall, and the court has heard that her death was made to look like a lawn mower accident.
A forensic pathologist told the jury that Frances had a 16-centimetre head wound and at least 20 abrasions on her neck.
He said some injuries could have resulted from a fall, while an injury to her fingernail could have happened while she was alive.
Prosecutors say Crawford killed her to avoid losing millions in a divorce, against a background of his infidelity.
Crawford has pleaded not guilty and says her death was an accident, telling the court he believed she died while moving the mower.
The murder trial is continuing, with the jury hearing evidence about Frances’s injuries.
A Queensland jury heard evidence about injuries found on Frances Crawford, whose husband Robert is accused of murdering her.
A forensic pathologist told the court she had a 16-centimetre head laceration and between 20 and 25 abrasions on her neck.
The jury was shown post-mortem photographs, and the court heard Frances also had bruises, a missing fingernail and haemorrhaging inside her eyes.
Prosecutors allege Robert Crawford staged her death to look like a lawn mower accident and killed her to avoid losing millions of dollars in a divorce.
Crawford has pleaded not guilty, and his defence says her death was a tragic accident.
- Who
- Robert Crawford, 49, is accused of killing his wife, Frances Crawford.
- What
- The jury heard forensic evidence about Frances’s injuries in Crawford’s murder trial.
- When
- The evidence was reported on November 6, 2026. Frances was found dead in 2024.
- Where
- The trial is in the Supreme Court in Brisbane. Frances’s body was found on the couple’s property in Upper Lockyer, rural south-east Queensland.
- Why
- Prosecutors allege Crawford killed Frances to avoid losing millions of dollars in a divorce. The defence says her death was an accident.
Prosecution
Robert Crawford’s defence
Alleged death
Prosecution
Prosecutors allege Crawford killed Frances and staged her death to look like a lawn mower accident.
Robert Crawford’s defence
The defence says Frances died in a tragic accident while moving the mower.
Alleged motive
Prosecution
Prosecutors say Crawford killed her so he would not lose millions of dollars in a divorce.
Robert Crawford’s defence
The defence’s account, as reported, is that Crawford believed his wife died in the accident.
Frances Crawford’s body was found at the bottom of a retaining wall on the couple’s property in Upper Lockyer.
A Queensland jury was shown post-mortem images and heard forensic pathologist Andrzej Kedziora’s evidence about Frances’s injuries.
- Accused
- Robert Crawford, 49
- Victim
- Frances Crawford
- Head injury
- 16-centimetre laceration
- Neck injuries
- Between 20 and 25 abrasions
- Property
- Upper Lockyer, rural south-east Queensland
- Trial court
- Supreme Court in Brisbane
What people are saying
The laceration is quite long
It imitates an incised wound, something done, for example, by a knife, but it’s not.
I have great difficulty in reconciling this scenario with this injury.