EXCLUSIVE
An RAAF pilot accused of killing his wife and the mother of his three children at their rural property has made several inquiries to real estate agents about rental properties in Brisbane over the past 13 months.
Robert Crawford, 47, allegedly killed his wife Frances, 49, and moved her body to make her death look like a riding mower accident on their property in Upper Lockyer, near Toowoomba in southeast Queensland, at 3.40am in July. 30.
Crawford was arrested on October 10 after police issued a public appeal for people to come forward as they revealed he had allegedly been messaging women on dating apps around the world and in Australia.
Now Daily Mail Australia can reveal Crawford applied for a rental property in Brisbane’s south in early August last year.
Five months later, in January this year, he reapplied for another rental property in Brisbane’s south.
Frances Crawford, 49, was reportedly murdered in Upper Lockyer, Queensland, on July 30
Robert Crawford, 47, is pictured presenting an award at an ADF event
Daily Mail Australia understands that in the months leading up to his wife’s alleged murder, when he was not at work, Crawford spent his time between his home in Upper Lockyer and an address in Brisbane.
In September, as detectives were investigating his wife’s death, Crawford listed his marital property on Airbnb for $350 a night. The post was deleted after media publicity.
Crawford was an RAAF Squadron Leader, operating from the Royal Australian Air Force base at Amberley, about 5 miles south-west of Ipswich.
Over the past twenty years, the family moved to various cities around the country, including Sydney and Adelaide, while he continued his career in the military.
Police will allege he did business with women in countries including the US, Italy, Papua New Guinea, Afghanistan, Guam, Japan, New Zealand and every state and territory in Australia except South Australia and Tasmania.
Robert Crawford, 47, allegedly killed his wife Frances, 49, and moved her body to make her death look like a riding lawn mower accident
Pictured: the Crawfords’ Upper Lockyer home, which was listed on Airbnb in September
Meanwhile, Ms. Crawford served her community as a beloved psychologist, providing therapy to adults, adolescents, and children.
According to her biography on Toowoomba’s Quality Life Psychology Services website, she had “extensive experience” of working with a variety of mental health issues.
Her special interests include anxiety, depression, stress, panic, anger, grief, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, chronic pain, parenting, protective behavior, and assertiveness.
Her death has left her loved ones and the Toowoomba region reeling, where she is remembered as a loving mother, beloved daughter, sister and friend and dedicated healthcare worker and valued member of her church and community.”
Crawford has been charged with murder (felony domestic violence) and misconduct with a corpse by interfering.
He has been remanded in custody and his case will appear at Ipswich Magistrates Court on October 25.