Australia - Frances Crawford 49, found dead after suspicious lawn mower accident in Queensland.

[Porky1]

I will put these pics here again, of the house where Frances lived and was found dead.

It looks like there is a retaining wall at the back of the house, separating the house/lawn from a gully behind the house.

I wonder if "bottom of the retaining wall" means in the gully, or on the other side of the retaining wall It looks as though it may be a partial retaining wall with some breaks at each end.

View attachment 535199

 

[Porky1]

I will put these pics here again, of the house where Frances lived and was found dead.

It looks like there is a retaining wall at the back of the house, separating the house/lawn from a gully behind the house.

I wonder if "bottom of the retaining wall" means in the gully, or on the other side of the retaining wall It looks as though it may be a partial retaining wall with some breaks at each end.

View attachment 535199 View attachment 535200

Link

Assuming the ride-on was housed in the adjacent shed, it might have occurred on that side of the property where the levels might have been harder to judge. Returning it to shed at dusk, maybe she wasn’t mowing, maybe she was restocking firewood with a trailer attached? maybe the accident occurred out of site of house, etc. perhaps he came home late? Also, the property is remote, well off the road and it doesn’t look like there are any close neighbours to confirm any suspicious noises from property. It sounds suspicious but unusual accidents happen regularly on rural properties. Lots of possibilities.

 

[Ooohm]

Surely where there is smoke, there’s fire? (65 witness statements) Who can they be and what are they saying…

 

[Porky1]

I know innocent until proven guilty but I am not talking about the possible murder of his wife here but the apparently numerous sexual liaisons he had worldwide while serving in the ADF, which have apparently been uncovered by LE. I know the US military frowns on such behavior, especially for a married officer. Will the Australian military investigate or possibly discharge him based on that info? Just curious.

https://www.defence.gov.au/about/complaints-incident-reporting/unacceptable-behaviour#what-is-unacceptable-behaviour

I suspect it’s only frowned upon if it’s with a colleague and is leaked. In 2024, not 1954, I’d be surprised if any military service discharged personnel for extra-marital liaisons.

 

[Porky1]

Surely where there is smoke, there’s fire? (65 witness statements) Who can they be and what are they saying…

65? Wow. Perhaps character witnesses.

I agree, I do think it’s suspicious, but he hasn’t been charged yet.

 

[Ooohm]

I’m a bit of a Cold War buff and in military/diplomatic circles sexual peccadilloes were considered a vulnerability for someone where they might be convinced to betray their country.

 

[Trooper]

65? Wow. Perhaps character witnesses.

I agree, I do think it’s suspicious, but he hasn’t been charged yet.

Yes, he has been charged.... with murder, of his wife, and also, as an addition, he is charged with interfering with a corpse.. a most unattractive crime, you would agree. Meaning, he is accused of murdering her, then moving her body, apparently to portray a particular story he then proceeded to tell 000 and police. (000 = 911 ) .... two charges , in total. So far. Could be more further down the track.

He is currently being held on remand, and is in the process of applying for bail, Bail on the charge of murder..

 

[Trooper]

I’m a bit of a Cold War buff and in military/diplomatic circles sexual peccadilloes were considered a vulnerability for someone where they might be convinced to betray their country.

Of course, and he appears to be particularly careless, because QLD pol were able to trace all these contacts. And who knows if the ones the police made public are all there are?? So he was not even clever, or security conscious about it, what a clown. In the position he was in, too. Not a good look for the RAAF, and the ADF in general.

Since the narrative that the ADF is expected to produce, ( that it requires terrifically expensive equipment and personnel to protect the nation, it follows that the personnel be, at the very least, savvy to security elements ) ... he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer... it's not the sexual element, it's the gabfest component that may, and probably did occur.

He was a sitting target.

 

[Porky1]

In spite of being so good-looking and multi-talented (are you listening mate?) he is lacking a certain something - oops, where do I start? Fidelity, kindness, morals, the ability to keep a woman safe, etc, etc. A very ugly inside.

He looks sleezy

 

[Porky1]

Yes, he has been charged.... with murder, of his wife, and also, as an addition, he is charged with interfering with a corpse.. a most unattractive crime, you would agree. Meaning, he is accused of murdering her, then moving her body, apparently to portray a particular story he then proceeded to tell 000 and police. (000 = 911 ) .... two charges , in total. So far. Could be more further down the track.

He is currently being held on remand, and is in the process of applying for bail, Bail on the charge of murder..

Thanks Trooper. It hasn’t been covered overly well in my state, I didn’t realise it had progressed so quickly. I did only start following this thread a few days ago.

 

[Marg944]

Thanks Trooper. It hasn’t been covered overly well in my state, I didn’t realise it had progressed so quickly. I did only start following this thread a few days ago.

Stay close, I think it’s gonna be some ride!!!

 

[Trooper]

Thanks Trooper. It hasn’t been covered overly well in my state, I didn’t realise it had progressed so quickly. I did only start following this thread a few days ago.

His next appearance in court is NOV 10th., P.. .. I think I have that right. He is requesting that bail be granted to him until then. Should he get bail? .. moot point.. everyone is entitled to ask for it, but it seems QLD pol is against it, and I don't see any compelling reason why he should get it, but,... courts.. you know. .. odd things happen...

 

[Porky1]

Bombshell update as respected QLD psychologist’s ‘lawnmower’ death believed to be murder

Emergency services were initially told she was involved in a ‘mower rollover’.

7news.com.au

“We can say Mr Crawford has connected with women nationally and internationally, specifically Italy, United States of America, Papua New Guinea, Guam, Afghanistan, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and nationally in Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.”

My, oh my. He DOES get around.

Possibly RAF bases, training, etc over a 25 year career

 

[Porky1]

His next appearance in court is NOV 10th., P.. .. I think I have that right. He is requesting that bail be granted to him until then. Should he get bail? .. moot point.. everyone is entitled to ask for it, but it seems QLD pol is against it, and I don't see any compelling reason why he should get it, but,... courts.. you know. .. odd things happen...

Hopefully bail isn’t granted. Iam sure he’d be considered a flight risk.

 

[Porky1]

I suppose it's possible that it happened like this - they maybe had dinner together, or at least saw each other, then he went out. Maybe they had argued. Either he stormed off, or went to the pub, or was meeting some mates, whatever. It was still light, so she decided to mow the lawn. There was an accident and she died. When he returned, there was nothing to hear (I believe ride-ons' engines stop when they roll), and nothing to see (it was now dark, and anyway Frances and the mower were both on the downhill side of the wall.) It was late, and he assumed she had gone to bed. He did whatever, maybe watched some TV. That might take an hour or two. Then he went to bed, and noticed that she wasn't there. If they had argued before, he might have assumed that she was sleeping in another room, or even had left him. So maybe after a while he started looking for her, all through the house, then in the garage where her vehicle still was. Then started looking around the property, and finally found her. And by this time it was after 3am. Fairly believable - BUT why haven't we heard this explanation?

100% plausible. Perhaps he started with a similar story until holes appeared.

 

[vls12345]

I suspect it’s only frowned upon if it’s with a colleague and is leaked. In 2024, not 1954, I’d be surprised if any military service discharged personnel for extra-marital liaisons.

I’m a bit of a Cold War buff and in military/diplomatic circles sexual peccadilloes were considered a vulnerability for someone where they might be convinced to betray their country.

Punishment for US military members for adultery is still a thing. (Plus, adultery is still illegal in some US states.) I'm not sure of Australia's military rules for it or the level of enforcement but the rules do cover unacceptable behaviour for sexual misconduct that is non-criminal.

As @Ooohm says, there is also a security component with it that is often taken into consideration re: military service members.

 

[Porky1]

RSBM
Afghanistan I can understand - I would be desperate to leave, and happy to smooch up with anyone who could fly a plane.

An ADF colleague?

 

[Porky1]

Honestly? I think his attic is sparsely furnished, tbh. RAAF has pulled his photos off the websites from the get go, indicating that they were washing hands off the oncoming scandal. Predictably, they did not enjoy the worldwide publicity. What should one do under the circumstances? Keep quiet. What did RC do? Happily made the Airbnb listing for the house that’s the very scene of a suspicious death with an ad that looked like a page from a dating site.

It’s a typical rumpus room which has many uses and similar to a basement, table tennis, rower, gym gear, tv, etc. He probably fell asleep watching tv. Maybe he spent many a night on the couch.

 

[Porky1]

They certainly made a HUGE mistake ... whoever went to bat for him. Now a lovely woman is dead, her children have lost both parents, her parents have lost their child.

Courts should always err on the side of safety. imo

Sadly, the courts get it wrong regularly when AVOs are heard. I couldn’t imagine a worse situation than being brave enough to report it and then have the court dismiss it.

 

[Porky1]

I would hate to be in a relationship where I was under the command of my husband or partner, with them directing my every move.

Re Beekeeping, I remember a few years ago when it became a trendy hobby.
In my opinion the sort of hobby where you could one up your friends.

And I see there is a phrase of men being of beekeeping age.

Beekeeping age is typically used to describe a man who is in his 40s or 50s who is thought to be physically attractive, mature, and/or charismatic. In this context, beekeeping age is used to refer to a man who might also be described as a silver fox or DILF.

Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words › slang › beekeeping-age

I wonder whether it just tied in with the idealic Airbnb rural listing…

Re beekeeping, I’ve never thought of it was an interesting hobby but David Beckham certainly added some sex appeal, perhaps his doco has started a trend….