Beau Lamarre-Condon’s legal team has argued that their client acted in self-defence when Jesse Baird was fatally shot and that Luke Davies died after firing the weapon during a subsequent struggle.
The former New South Wales police officer has pleaded not guilty in the NSW Supreme Court to two counts of domestic violence-related murder and one charge of aggravated break and enter.
The trial entered its second day in Sydney, with defence barrister John Stratton SC telling the jury that Lamarre-Condon did not intend to murder either Baird or Davies.
In his opening address, Stratton acknowledged his client had previously done what he described as “stupid things”, including accessing Davies’ phone and blocking male contacts, but said there had never been threats of violence directed towards either man.
According to the defence case, Lamarre-Condon went to Baird’s Paddington home on 19 February 2024 to retrieve personal belongings he had left there when the pair were in a relationship.
The court heard that Lamarre-Condon dressed as an Uber Eats delivery driver because he wanted to avoid embarrassment if Baird or his housemates answered the door.
After receiving no response to a knock at the door, the defence says Lamarre-Condon used a key previously provided by Baird to enter the property. He had also brought his police-issued firearm with him, with Stratton arguing that officers are trained not to leave firearms unattended in vehicles where they may be stolen.
The defence claims Lamarre-Condon was surprised to find Baird inside the home. According to the defence version of events, Baird did not recognise Lamarre-Condon because he was wearing a motorcycle helmet and mistakenly believed he was confronting an intruder.
Stratton told the jury a struggle followed, during which the firearm discharged twice, fatally wounding Baird, before being thrown across the room.
The defence further claims Lamarre-Condon then dialled triple zero from a mobile phone before encountering Davies, who had emerged from a bedroom carrying a knife.
According to the defence case, Davies picked up the firearm and another struggle ensued. Stratton said Lamarre-Condon attempted to push the weapon away from himself before Davies pulled the trigger and sustained the fatal gunshot wound.
“It’s his case that what he did was in self-defence,” Stratton told the jury.
The defence also argued that Lamarre-Condon’s actions after the shootings were driven by panic rather than consciousness of guilt.
Stratton said Lamarre-Condon sought advice from two friends following the incident and was allegedly told police would never believe his account of self-defence. The court heard those friends are expected to give evidence during the trial.
The defence accepts Lamarre-Condon purchased the surfboard bags used to transport the bodies and cleaning products used at the Paddington property, but says those actions reflected panic and poor decision-making rather than an intention to conceal murder.
Prosecution alleges deliberate killings and subsequent cover-up
Earlier, the prosecution concluded its opening address, alleging the shootings were deliberate and followed by an extensive effort to conceal the deaths.
Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC told the jury that CCTV audio from a neighbouring property allegedly captured the sound of gunshots, with two shots heard in quick succession at 8.49am and a third approximately one minute later.
The Crown alleges Lamarre-Condon returned to the Paddington home several times in the days after the deaths to clean the scene and remove evidence.
Prosecutors allege he used Baird’s phone to send messages creating the impression that Baird had relocated to Perth.
The Crown further alleges Lamarre-Condon attempted to hide the bodies on a rural property in the New South Wales Southern Tablelands, placing them in surfboard bags weighted with quick-setting cement and other heavy objects.
According to the prosecution, when the bodies did not remain submerged, they were later moved to another rural location.
The bodies were recovered eight days later, approximately 200 kilometres from the Paddington property, near a Greek Orthodox monastery at Bungonia.
Hatfield told the jury investigators located the site after Lamarre-Condon provided police with an approximate location.
The court heard Lamarre-Condon surrendered to police after being publicly identified as a person of interest.
The prosecution also alleged that before attending a police station, Lamarre-Condon contacted a police welfare line and reported experiencing trauma related to his work, bullying from colleagues and symptoms he associated with schizophrenia.
The Crown says it will argue there is no evidence Lamarre-Condon had received treatment for schizophrenia.
Alleged admissions to friends
The prosecution told the jury it intends to rely on evidence from friends who allegedly spoke with Lamarre-Condon following the deaths.
According to the Crown, Lamarre-Condon told one friend he had killed two people. The prosecutor said that when the friend asked whether he was joking, Lamarre-Condon allegedly replied: “I wish I was.”
The prosecution alleges Lamarre-Condon later indicated with a hand gesture that he had used a firearm, and said “pew, pew.”
Hatfield told the jury Lamarre-Condon allegedly said he had not wanted to kill the second person but believed they could become a witness after attempting to contact emergency services.
The friend allegedly refused to assist with disposing of the bodies.
The prosecution further alleges Lamarre-Condon later sent the friend a text message stating: “I should get an Oscar, hey,” suggesting he had fabricated the earlier admission.
The court also heard evidence relating to a second friend, known to the court as Elizabeth Kennedy, who allegedly travelled with Lamarre-Condon to a rural property at Bungonia on 20 February.
The prosecution alleges Kennedy remained near the property’s entrance while Lamarre-Condon went towards a dam on the land.
Hatfield said Lamarre-Condon later wrote to prosecutors claiming Kennedy had suggested hiding the bodies because authorities would not believe a claim of self-defence.
The Crown said it intends to argue that account is false and that the idea originated with Lamarre-Condon.
According to the prosecution case, Lamarre-Condon returned to the property two days later and moved the bodies to a second location near the monastery where they were eventually discovered.
Evidence from witnesses
The court also heard that Baird’s housemates returned home on the evening of 19 February and observed what appeared to be liquid pooling near a roller door in the courtyard.
The prosecution alleges they photographed the scene but did not realise the substance was blood and were unaware nearby blue plastic bags allegedly contained the bodies of Baird and Davies.
The Crown further alleges Lamarre-Condon contacted a friend living in Perth and asked whether they would switch on a mobile phone posted to them and then discard it in the ocean.
Prosecutors allege this formed part of a plan to create the impression that Baird had travelled to Western Australia and remained alive.
Following opening statements, the prosecution called its first witnesses.
The jury heard evidence from Jesse Baird’s mother, Helen, and his sister, Kourtnee, who spoke about his life, career and relationship with Luke Davies.
The court was told Baird had become deeply committed to the relationship in early 2024.
Evidence was also given by a man who had casually dated Baird in 2023. He identified himself and Baird in CCTV footage recorded at a Paddington pub on 19 May 2023. The prosecution alleges the footage was located on Lamarre-Condon’s computer following his arrest.
The jury also heard evidence from one of Baird’s friends regarding concerns that his Instagram account had been interfered with.
Additional testimony covered police firearm storage procedures and Lamarre-Condon’s role as a Youth Engagement Officer within the New South Wales Police Force.
Detective Sasha Pinazza, who leads the investigation, also gave evidence.
The trial continues.
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