The double murder trial of former New South Wales police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon stands as one of the most high-profile and disturbing criminal cases in modern Australian legal history. Charged with two counts of domestic violence-related murder and aggravated break and enter, the 31-year-old former senior constable is accused of using his police-issued firearm to execute TV presenter Jesse Baird, 26, and his partner, Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies, 29, inside Baird’s Paddington home in February 2024.
As the trial before Justice Natalie Adams continues in the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney, the proceedings have laid bare a complex web of alleged obsession, pre-meditation, deceptive digital trails, and extensive attempts to conceal the crime.
Click image below for a chance to win 2k a week for 1 week
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the backstory, the critical evidence presented by prosecutors, the legal timeline regarding sentencing, and how long Lamarre-Condon could serve if convicted.
The Backstory: From Stalker Behavior to Fatal Escalation
Before his arrest, Beau Lamarre-Condon was a high-profile figure in his own right—a former celebrity blogger who later joined the NSW Police Force. His connection to Jesse Baird began as a brief romantic relationship in late 2023. However, according to evidence presented by Crown prosecutors, after Baird ended the relationship, Lamarre-Condon’s behavior escalated into fixation and stalking.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/29324540300566033
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1984856186233462
Pattern of Fixation
Crown prosecutors detailed a series of alarming incidents leading up to the fatal shootings on February 19, 2024:
- Unlawful Entry: Prosecutors allege Lamarre-Condon disguised himself as an UberEats delivery rider to gain illegal access to Baird’s Paddington home in late August 2023.
- Deceptive Communications: The court heard evidence that Lamarre-Condon sent aggressive and manipulative text messages, sent flowers with misleading notes, and fabricated elaborate health emergencies—including claiming he had cancer and faced arm amputation—to win Baird’s attention.
- Tracking Inquiries: Weeks prior to the killings, Lamarre-Condon allegedly asked acquaintances if rental vehicles could be tracked via GPS, suggesting pre-meditated planning.
When Baird began dating Luke Davies in early 2024, prosecutors contend that Lamarre-Condon’s fixation turned fatal.
The Fatal Morning and Alleged Cover-Up
On the morning of February 19, 2024, CCTV footage showed Lamarre-Condon arriving near Baird’s Paddington residence in a hired Mazda. Prosecutors allege he entered the home armed with his police-issued Glock pistol, which he had checked out from police inventory.
Three gunshots were reported by neighbors shortly after 9:30 AM. According to forensic reconstructions shown to the jury, Davies was positioned behind a bedroom door when a bullet was fired through it, while Baird was shot inside the room.
The Immediate Aftermath
In the hours and days following the shooting, prosecutors allege Lamarre-Condon engaged in an extensive cover-up:
- Cleaning the Scene: The Paddington home was cleaned thoroughly. A bullet hole in the bedroom door was filled with putty, painted over, and covered with a stick-on hook.
- Manipulating Victims’ Phones: Lamarre-Condon allegedly used Jesse Baird’s mobile phone to send false text messages to friends and housemates, claiming Baird had abruptly decided to move to Perth or take a job in North Sydney, attempting to delay a missing persons report.
- Disposing of Belongings: Belongings including Davies’ watch, credit cards, and bloodied clothing were dumped in a skip bin in Cronulla in Sydney’s south. Their discovery by a council worker activated the homicide squad.
Critical Evidence Gathered and Presented at Trial
The prosecution case against Lamarre-Condon relies on a massive array of physical, forensic, digital, and ballistic evidence collected across multiple Sydney suburbs and regional NSW.
1. Ballistic and Forensic Evidence
- Police Firearm Matching: Spent cartridge casings recovered from the Paddington crime scene matched the police-issued Glock pistol returned to the Miranda Police Station inventory by Lamarre-Condon.
- Crime Scene Reconstruction: Jurors were shown detailed 3D reconstructions, high-resolution photographs of bullet trajectories, and evidence of blood spatter patterns consistent with double homicide.
- DNA and Fingerprints: Forensic examination linked Lamarre-Condon to the scene, as well as to the white hired rental van used to move the bodies.
2. CCTV Footage and Digital Paper Trail
- Pre-Purchase of Equipment: CCTV captured Lamarre-Condon withdrawing cash from an ATM and buying a large surfboard bag at a retail store shortly before the killings—a bag prosecutors argue was bought to transport one of the bodies.
- Rental Vehicle Tracking: Telematics data tracked the movements of a white Toyota HiAce van rented by Lamarre-Condon as it traveled between Paddington, Cronulla, Newcastle, and Bungonia in the Southern Tablelands.
3. The Discovery of the Bodies
After initial attempts to sink the bodies in a dam at a private property near Bungonia failed, the remains of Baird and Davies were eventually located concealed in surfboard bags near the fence line of a monastery about 20km away. Lamarre-Condon eventually disclosed the location to investigators following his surrender at Bondi Police Station on February 23, 2024.
This pattern of elaborate post-crime manipulation mirrors themes seen across high-profile domestic homicide cases. As detailed in true crime analyses like Cheating Boyfriend Thinks He Has The Perfect Plan To Get Away With Murder, “perpetrators often construct intricate digital alibis, fabricate misleading text chains, and alter crime scenes under the illusion that calculated planning can outsmart modern forensic technology.” In Lamarre-Condon’s case, however, these digital footprints and attempted cover-ups ultimately provided investigators with a detailed roadmap of his actions.
When Will Beau Lamarre-Condon Be Sentenced?
Because the NSW Supreme Court trial commenced in September 2026 and is scheduled to run for 10 to 12 weeks due to the high volume of witness testimony, a jury verdict is anticipated toward late 2026.
If the jury returns a verdict of guilty on one or both murder counts:
- Sentencing Hearing: A separate sentencing hearing (where victim impact statements are delivered and legal submissions on penalty are heard) will typically be scheduled 2 to 4 months post-verdict.
- Estimated Sentencing Date: Final sentencing by the trial judge is expected in early to mid-2027.
How Long Will He Likely Serve in Prison?
In New South Wales, murder carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Under section 19A of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), life imprisonment is a mandatory maximum, but standard non-parole periods apply unless specific aggravating factors elevate the penalty.
Factors Influencing the Sentence Length
If convicted of two counts of murder, several severe aggravating factors under NSW sentencing law will apply:
- Multiple Homicides: Double murders routinely trigger sentences at the extreme upper end of statutory guidelines.
- Breach of Trust as a Law Enforcement Officer: Using a state-issued police weapon while on duty/off duty to commit a crime is treated by NSW courts as a severe aggravating factor.
- Pre-Meditation and Stalking: Evidence showing planning, purchasing disposal tools, and disguised entry weighs heavily against any leniency.
- Domestic Violence Context: Under current NSW legal frameworks, domestic violence-related homicides carry strong general deterrence mandates.
Sentence Projections
- Non-Parole Period (NPP): For a single murder in NSW, the standard non-parole period is 20 years (or 25 years for the murder of a police officer or child). For a premeditated double murder involving a police weapon, standard non-parole periods accumulate.
- Likely Outcome: Legal analysts project that if found guilty on both counts of murder, Lamarre-Condon faces a head sentence ranging between 40 years to Life Imprisonment, with a non-parole period likely set between 30 to 35 years at minimum.
- Given that he was 28 at the time of his arrest in 2024, a 35-year non-parole period means he would not be eligible to apply for parole until at least 2059, when he is in his 60s.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What charges is Beau Lamarre-Condon facing?
Beau Lamarre-Condon is charged with two counts of domestic violence-related murder (for the deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies) and one count of aggravated break and enter.
Did Beau Lamarre-Condon plead guilty or not guilty?
He pleaded not guilty to the murder charges when the trial formally opened in the NSW Supreme Court in September 2026. His defense team has argued panic rather than calculated murderous intent regarding his post-incident actions.
What weapon was used in the murders?
Prosecutors allege Lamarre-Condon used his official NSW Police-issued Glock semi-automatic pistol, which he had checked out from police equipment stores and later returned to inventory.
Where were Jesse Baird and Luke Davies found?
Their bodies were discovered inside surfboard bags near a monastery fence line in Bungonia, located in the NSW Southern Tablelands, four days after they were killed.
Conclusion
The trial of Beau Lamarre-Condon represents a tragic intersection of police misuse of authority, fatal stalking, and devastating loss. As the NSW Supreme Court continues to evaluate the extensive digital, ballistic, and forensic evidence, the public and the victims’ families await a final verdict that will determine the exact legal consequences and length of imprisonment for one of Sydney’s most shocking crimes.
