‘Monster’ sentenced to life

ANDERSON – It took a Grimes County Jury only 15 minutes to convict 79-year-old Robert Shannon Crawford, of Navasota, of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child Thursday, Nov. 10. 

Sexual abuse reported

The initial report of abuse was received by Navasota Police Sgt. Troy Green June 12, 2021. Officers responded and Navasota Investigator Travis Mullins was assigned to the case. He learned a 14-year-old boy was sexually assaulted by Crawford on three separate occasions with the final incident in 2020.

More victims speak out

Mullins received information about a second sexual abuse victim on June 25, 2021. A relative of Crawford reported the incident after learning of the initial report. Through extensive investigating and interviews, Mullins uncovered a sexual assault from 1995. In that incident Crawford impregnated a 12-year-old girl and took her to an abortion clinic in Houston to abort the pregnancy. The assault was not previously reported. Witnesses stated Crawford admitted portions of the 1995 assault and abortion to them.

The victim of the 1995 incident was interviewed, and she confirmed the assault occurred at Crawford’s home in Navasota. 

Information about a third victim was brought to light June 28, 2021. An adult female who learned of the ongoing investigation told Mullins hearing about the allegations triggered a memory from her childhood. As a teenager in the 1970s, her childhood friend told her a “horror story” about Crawford. At the time, the teenager lived in Conroe near Crawford. She was a victim of Indecency with a Child. 

“In early October 2022, I was finally able to track down the family of the teenage girl from the 1970s. She is deceased,” explained Grimes County District Attorney Investigator John Wren. When speaking to the brother of the alleged victim, he stated he didn’t learn about the abuse until he and his sister were adults.

“The victims’ account of the criminal sexual behaviors of Robert Crawford, as recounted to me by her brother, mirrored what I was told by the witness who first gave the information to Mullins,” said Wren. Wren said the victims account of the sex acts performed by Crawford were strikingly similar to the sexual abuse detailed by the 1986 victim.

Although the 1970s incident was not admissible in court, Wren said he remained in touch with her family throughout the trial and relayed to them the outcome. “I hope Robert Crawford being convicted and punished gives them some measure of justice because to our team their loved one also mattered.”  

Escape plan

Investigator Wren met with Mullins Sept. 4, 2021 at Navasota Police Department to conduct a non-custodial interview with Crawford. During the nearly 2-hour interview, Wren obtained multiple admissions related to the sexual assault reported by the 14-year-old male victim. 

Crawford also confessed to the 1995 sexual assault of the 12-year-old girl. He said after becoming suspicious the girl may be pregnant, he had her provide a urine sample into a container and took it to a clinic to confirm the pregnancy. Once the pregnancy was verified, he said he drove the victim to Houston for an abortion. He told Wren he shared portions of the incident to three different witnesses in the years following.

Toward the conclusion of the interview, Crawford relayed to Wren he had just sold his home in Navasota and had a “one-way ticket to Mexico the next day.”

An arrest warrant was obtained through Navasota Municipal Court, and Crawford was arrested later the same day by patrol officers. Crawford had a passport and an “under belt designed to hide money.”

Investigation leads to Mexico

On Sept. 8, 2021 Mullins received information about a fourth victim who resides in Mexico City. She too had become aware of the ongoing investigation into Crawford. 

In the mid 1980s, she came to the United States with a relative who was romantically involved with Crawford. They lived with Crawford in Navasota and she attended fifth grade at Navasota ISD from 1986-1987. While living in the home, the victim, who was age 10 at the time of the incident, described continuous sexual abuse ranging from Indecency with a Child to Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. Eventually Crawford took the victim back to Mexico and left her.

The trial

The trial was presided over by 506^th District Court Judge Gary Chaney and prosecuted by District Attorney Andria Bender and Assistant District Attorney David Armbuster. 

Multiple witnesses testified in the weeklong trial. Evidence included testimony from the 1995 victim, corroborating witnesses and law enforcement officers, a recorded phone call between Crawford and a witness where Crawford admitted to the 1995 sexual assault and a recorded confession obtained by Investigator Wren.   

Jurors also heard from the 1986 and 2020 sexual assault victims, who were part of extraneous offense evidence put on by prosecutors. Both victims detailed the sexual abuse they endured from Crawford.

Armbuster detailed the collaborative effort to bring in witnesses. “We brought in victims and witnesses from out of county, out of state and out of country to provide testimony during this trial. It has taken most of our team to put on this case. The payoff of getting justice for these victims makes the long hours and hard work worth the effort.”  

Sentencing

During the punishment phase, prosecutors provided two witnesses: the 1995 victim and Dr. Roy Lupenitz, who is a licensed sex offender treatment provider. They sentenced Crawford to LIFE in prison and gave him the maximum allowable fine of $10,000.  

“I am grateful a monster has been taken off the streets,” stated Investigator Mullins. “There is no doubt in my mind that there are more victims out there.”  

The nature of this case was shocking to Bender who has prosecuted cases for many years. “In 25 years as a prosecutor, this is among the most egregious child sexual abuse cases I’ve handled,” she explained. “Robert Crawford is a child molester, who victimized children for decades. Today, the jury made clear in their punishment verdict of a LIFE SENTENCE what happens in Grimes County if you molest children. Today, they ensured this defendant will never again have the chance to traumatize another child.” 

Reliving the horror through testimony is a challenge many can’t endure. “I am proud that each of the three victims were brave enough to get on the stand and tell their truth,” said Crime Victim Liaison Gilverta Diaz. “I am hopeful that each of them can continue to heal and move forward with their lives.”   

Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child is a first-degree felony punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison. The defendant had no prior criminal history. Crawford is currently in custody in the Grimes County Jail awaiting transfer to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

*Editor’s note: Crimes Victim Coordinator Brenda Williams is quoted in a related article on sexual abuse awareness.