Woman feared for safety before mower death, jury told

Her husband, ex-RAAF pilot Robert Crawford, is facing trial for her murder in the Brisbane Supreme Court after pleading not guilty.

It is alleged that he staged the scene with the mower to make his wife's death appear to be a tragic accident on their sprawling property at Upper Lockyer, near Toowoomba.

They further allege he falsified a series of text messages with his wife on the night of her death to cover his tracks.

The jury heard that the couple had temporarily separated in July 2023 after Frances Crawford contracted chlamydia from her husband and confronted him about his cheating.

Her brother David Pilon told the court his sister rang him in a panic soon after her husband broke into the family home, resulting in Mr Pilon and his wife rushing to assist.

He said he found an agitated Crawford outside, saying that the house was his and he was allowed entry.

Mrs Crawford's sister Tamara Davis told the jury that the couple attempted an unsuccessful trial reconciliation the following year.

Six days before her death, Frances told her that the marriage was in disrepair and she wanted her husband dead.

"She was feeling scared and overwhelmed," Ms Davis said.

"She told me 'I wish Rob had a car accident, hit a tree and killed himself' so she didn't have to make a decision to leave the marriage.

"There was a lot of concern about her being single and broke because Rob wanted to take all the money."

Crawford was profligate in spending money on other women and hobbies but criticised his wife for spending money on herself, according to Frances, Ms Davies said.

"He was very aggressive in his speech with her - very defensive," the sister said.

Ms Davis said she eventually cut the conversation short out of concern for her sister's wellbeing.

The court heard earlier from an RAAF colleague of Crawford's, pilot Peter Wuttke, who was texting with Crawford on the night of Frances's death.

He said Crawford had told him an argument had ensued about the ride-on mower, which had been left outside.

He agreed with Crawford's barrister, Saul Holt, that Crawford had told him he thought his wife had attempted to move the mower inside "to prove a point".

Mr Wuttke said that after police attended the scene of Frances' death, Crawford told him an officer had asked if he wanted to take a shower.

Crawford told Wuttke that he had trailed his wife's blood through the house after attempting to revive her and it felt "horrible" to wash it off.

Jurors also heard from one of the women with whom Crawford had carried out an affair and what he told her about his wife.

"She would call him a narcissist," Emily Renshaw said.

"He said she would act quite cold and pick fights with him in front of the kids."

The jury has heard that Mrs Crawford closely surveilled her husband's finances and communications and made him take regular polygraph tests.

Ms Renshaw told the court that Crawford said he was unhappy and felt trapped, alone and isolated in the marriage.

However, he was reluctant to leave due to family and financial reasons.

He also did not want to be exiled from his church community and friends.

The trial continues before Justice Lincoln Crowley.