Frances Crawford's sister says she was 'scared' to leave husband - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

One of Frances Crawford's sister's told the jury the couple's "marriage was in disrepair". (Supplied)

Two of Frances Crawford's siblings have given evidence at the trial of her husband for murder at the Supreme Court in Queensland today.

Her sister Tamara Davis told the jury "she was scared and overwhelmed" to leave Robert Crawford just days before she died.

The defence says Ms Crawford died in a tragic lawnmower accident. The trial continues.

The sister of a southern Queensland woman who was allegedly killed by her husband has told a jury "she was scared and overwhelmed" to leave him, just days before she died.

Robert John Crawford has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Frances Crawford at their Upper Lockyer home in July 2024.

Her body was found trapped underneath a ride-on lawn mower at the bottom of a retaining wall.

Prosecutors allege Mr Crawford deliberately caused Ms Crawford's death, by strangulation, and or inflicting blunt force trauma, before staging the crime scene to look like an accident.

The jury has already heard the couple were experiencing marital issues stemming from Mr Crawford's previous infidelity, and he allegedly stood to gain financially from killing her.

Mr Crawford's defence team have told the jury Ms Crawford's death was an obvious but not uncommon tragedy, and no murder took place.

Robert Crawford (centre in blue tie) has pleaded not guilty to his wife's murder. (ABC News: Tara Cassidy)

On Wednesday, two of Ms Crawford's siblings gave evidence including her older sister Tamara Davis.

Ms Davis told the jury she and Ms Crawford were close and spoke regularly, and she was aware the couple's "marriage was in disrepair".

In the days before her sister died, Ms Davis told the jury the pair spoke on the phone, and Ms Crawford had been worried about her husband overhearing their conversation.

"She didn't want Rob in earshot," she said.

Ms Davis told the jury Ms Crawford told her she was "sick of all the affairs" and was seriously considering divorce but was feeling "scared and overwhelmed" about it.

"[Frances said] 'I wish Rob had a car accident, hit a tree and killed himself, so she didn't have to make the decision to leave the marriage," she said recalling their conversation.

Ms Davis told the jury in an earlier conversation, Ms Crawford had stated that if she did get divorced "she will be single and broke because Rob wanted to take all the money".

Members of Frances Crawford's family have attended the trial this week. (ABC News: Tara Cassidy)

The jury heard Ms Davis said in her police statement that Ms Crawford had told her, her husband had been emotionally abusive.

When asked about a fight between the couple in mid-2023, Ms Davis told the court her sister had described being caught trying to access her husband's phone.

"She was really scared … he was so angry he ripped the phone out of her hands," she said.

Ms Davis also told the jury her sister complained that her husband "spent a lot of money on other women and hobbies" but she was "told off for spending money on herself".

She told the jury Ms Crawford told her he was "aggressive and very defensive" in the way he spoke with her.

"Frances told me he lied a lot … pretty much her entire marriage," she said.

The jury has already heard from July 20-23 Ms Crawford kicked Mr Crawford out of their home after discovering more occasions of infidelity, and she changed the locks.

Ms Crawford's brother David Pilon told the jury in the following days he received a "panicked" call from his sister saying "he's here, he's broken in".

Mr Pilon said he went to their house and saw Mr Crawford sitting by the front door "in distress" and heard him say "it's my house I'm allowed in".

"We tried to calm him, but we weren't sure what he was going to do."

The house where Frances Crawford was found dead. (Queensland Police Service)

Mr Pilon told the jury he knew the couple were "having problems" and was aware of at least one of Mr Crawford's affairs, but he accepted he did not discuss it with his sister in any great detail.

He told the jury, several months later, and in the weeks before her death, Ms Crawford asked him to feed her dogs because "her and Robert were going on a weekend away".

"They were trying to patch things up," he said.

A woman, who the jury has already heard Mr Crawford has admitted to cheating with, also took the witness stand.

Antonia Guterres told the jury she worked as a RAAF loadmaster under Mr Crawford's command between 2022 and 2024, and in 2023 their relationship became "more friendly".

Ms Guterres told the jury at this time Mr Crawford told her "he had troubles at home" and "couldn't go back", and was no longer wearing his wedding ring.

"He was unhappy and the marriage wasn't doing well, and his kids weren't talking to him," she said recalling what he told her.

"He mentioned that [he and Ms Crawford] were planning on getting a divorce."

An image of the mower that was found at the crime scene. (Supplied: Queensland Police)

Ms Guterres told the jury Mr Crawford told her his wife had bipolar disorder and was "off her meds" and she had been violent to him.

"Emotionally unstable … and that she brainwashed the kids," she said.

Ms Guterres told the jury when Mr Crawford was living separately from his wife, he moved into an expensive rental in Brisbane as he did not want to give her any money.

"Whatever he had, he wanted to spend it rather than give it to Frances," she said.

The jury heard Mr Crawford told Ms Guterres he wanted to move to Papua New Guinea "to get away from it all" and asked her if she wanted to come with him.

After September 2023, the jury heard the pair did not maintain regular contact, but in the month before his wife's death they spoke about his "home life".

Tamara Davis (second from right) leaving the court on Wednesday. (ABC News)

Ms Guterres told the jury he was "crying and getting emotional" and said, "I still have feelings for you".

She said she could not recall how she responded to him but remembered feeling "a bit awkward".

The jury heard Mr Crawford sent her a text message the following day stating "I probably overshared" but "I was speaking from my heart".

Ms Guterres replied to this message telling him "it was lovely to finally talk" and that she did not know he "still felt that way", the jury head.

Shortly after Ms Crawford died, Ms Guterres reached out to Mr Crawford, but he did not reply until September 2024, the jury heard.

In his response, Mr Crawford said "he was hurting a lot and really struggling".

He sent another message the following day and then tried calling Ms Guterres a number of times, but she did not answer.