RAAF Pilot Accused of Staging Wife's Death Faces Bail Decision

Robert Crawford's alleged manipulation of the crime scene and conflicting forensic evidence take center stage in Queensland Supreme Court proceedings.

• Robert Crawford, a Royal Australian Air Force pilot, is charged with murdering his wife, Frances Crawford, and staging the scene to look like a lawnmower accident.
• Prosecutors allege Crawford strangled his wife in a 'murderous rage,' then sent text messages from her phone to fabricate an accidental narrative.
• Forensic evidence presented in court includes mixed blood traces in the couple's ensuite and Crawford's DNA under his wife's fingernails, with the defense arguing alternative explanations.
• The defense contends the case is circumstantial, citing the autopsy's inability to rule out an accidental death and Crawford's lack of prior criminal history.
• Justice Frances Williams has reserved her decision on Crawford's bail as both sides debate his alleged manipulative behavior and potential flight risk.

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The Sydney Morning Herald 9News Australian Broadcasting Corporation