Beaumont Lamarre-Condon, a former police officer, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of domestic violence-related murder and one of aggravated break and enter. Prosecutors allege that Lamarre-Condon used his service weapon to kill his ex-partner, 26-year-old TV presenter Jesse Baird, and Baird's new partner, 29-year-old Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies, at a residence in Paddington, Sydney, in February 2024. The bodies of the couple were discovered in a rural area 200 kilometers away, concealed in surfboard bags. The trial is anticipated to last three months.
During the opening address, prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC stated that Lamarre-Condon had developed an obsessive infatuation with Baird following a brief romantic relationship, which escalated after Baird ceased all contact in November 2023. Hatfield described a series of compulsive behaviors exhibited by Lamarre-Condon, including using a friend's phone to message Baird with false claims of having cancer, stalking her, and tampering with her car.
On the day of the alleged murders, Lamarre-Condon reportedly set his alarm for 4:30 AM local time and sent a text to a friend indicating he would update them later. He then allegedly switched to a burner phone, rented a car, and waited outside Baird's home for three hours while disguised as an Uber driver. The prosecution claims he had previously purchased a surfboard bag for disposing of Baird's body.
Lamarre-Condon is accused of entering Baird's home with a key he had obtained earlier, shooting Baird in the kitchen, and then killing Davies in the bedroom as he attempted to call for help. Hatfield stated that Lamarre-Condon had planned the murder of Baird and killed Davies to eliminate him as a witness.
Following the alleged murders, Lamarre-Condon attempted to cover up the crime, including sending messages from Baird's mobile phone. The aggravated break and enter charge relates to an incident in August 2023, where he is accused of breaking into Baird's home and stealing her phone and wallet. Hatfield also mentioned that Lamarre-Condon had previously offered to plead guilty to a single charge of manslaughter concerning Baird's death, but this plea was rejected.
Police were alerted to the alleged murders after bloodied items belonging to Baird and Davies were discovered in a bin in southern Sydney. Lamarre-Condon later surrendered to a police station and was charged. The couple's bodies were found eight days after the alleged killings. Following the charges, Lamarre-Condon was dismissed from the New South Wales Police force. A 15-member jury was selected for the trial, with Justice Natalie Adams explaining that the additional jurors were chosen as a contingency for potential sickness or unforeseen circumstances.