Beau Lamarre-Condon, a 31-year-old former New South Wales police officer on trial for murder, focused intensely on his ex-partner Jesse Baird’s personal life, a New South Wales Supreme Court jury heard on Monday. Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty to the February 2024 murders of Baird, 26, and Luke Davies, 29, asserting through his defense that he acted in self-defense during separate struggles inside Baird’s Paddington terrace.
Evidence of Obsession and the Bedside Water Cup
Sergeant Andrew Callus testified during the trial regarding Lamarre-Condon’s fixation on Baird prior to the killings. Sergeant Callus also told the court that Lamarre-Condon’s demeanor darkened significantly upon learning that Baird and Davies had begun a relationship, quoting the former officer as saying, “You know what I’m like … I hate losing, I can’t let things go.”
Disputed Text Messages and Canceled Living Arrangements
Prosecutors allege that Lamarre-Condon used Baird’s mobile phone to send a series of text messages after both men died in February 2024. Daniel Hart, who had met up with Davies and Baird the night before they died, attempted to contact Davies on the day of the killings. When messages to Davies went undelivered, Hart messaged Baird, asking, “Is your wife alive?” A reply from Baird’s phone stated, “Haha he did smash his phone screen Monday so idk if he’s got that fixed yet.” The following day, another witness received a screenshot of messages from the same phone purporting to be Baird canceling a house-sharing arrangement by claiming a work opportunity had arisen in North Sydney.
Prior Conversations Concerning Body Disposal
Georgia Cook, a former close friend and confidant of Lamarre-Condon, continued her testimony about a dinner in May 2023 where the accused allegedly asked, “If you did kill someone, what would you do with their bodies?” When Cook responded that she did not know, Lamarre-Condon allegedly stated he would take their belongings to a dumpster and transport the bodies to bushland where they would never be found. Cook testified that Lamarre-Condon blackmailed her prior to the conversation, warning her that he would reveal secrets about her if she repeated his words. During cross-examination, one of Lamarre-Condon’s barristers suggested Cook only included those details in her police statement after hearing media reports, to which she replied that such a frightening statement was unforgettable.
Defense Position and Trial Context
Lamarre-Condon admits to entering Baird’s Paddington home in February 2024 while heavily disguised and armed with his police issue firearm, but maintains he did not intend to kill Baird or Davies. Prosecutors allege the former officer attempted to sink the two men’s bodies in a dam before ultimately dumping them near a rural Greek monastery. Alongside contesting two charges of murder, Lamarre-Condon denies a charge of breaking into Baird’s home in August 2023.
Related reading