Air Force pilot's body-cam interview shown at Queensland murder trial
Police body-worn video of Air Force pilot Robert Crawford, accused of killing his wife, was presented in Supreme Court, revealing his emotional statements about the handling of her body.
A Supreme Court hearing in Queensland displayed police body-camera footage of Air Force pilot Robert Crawford, 49, as he spoke with emergency officers after his wife Frances was found dead at their Upper Lockyer property. In the video, Crawford, visibly upset, asked where her body would be taken and said she would not want an autopsy. Sergeant Glen Thomas told him the body would be transported to Brisbane for a post-mortem examination and that Crawford could arrange the funeral afterward.
Crawford, who has pleaded not guilty to murder, claimed he believed his wife was moving a ride-on mower to avoid wetting it and that she may have fallen asleep while watching television. He also mentioned taking work calls earlier in the evening. Police noted wedding rings on a kitchen bench and a dressing gown belonging to Frances.
Prosecutors allege Crawford killed his wife to avoid a costly divorce and staged the scene as an accident. Crown Prosecutor Chris Cook said Crawford’s motive was financial. The defence, led by barrister Saul Holt KC, maintains the death was a tragic accident, citing that lawn-mower rollovers are not uncommon.
The court also reviewed photographs of the retaining wall where Frances was found, showing bruising and other injuries, as well as a screenshot of the Netflix account open on the television at the time of the incident. The jury is scheduled to visit the property later this week as the trial continues before Justice Lincoln Crowley.