Former police officer accused of double murder discusses case in recorded conversation

A recording of former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon speaking with an unidentified friend was played to a jury in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday. The audio, captured in April 2024, shows Lamarre-Condon urging the man to "just hear me out" while describing events surrounding the February 19, 2024 deaths of TV presenter Jesse Baird and Qantas host Luke Davies at Baird's Paddington home.

Lamarre-Condon, who has pleaded not guilty and is arguing self-defence, told the friend that he had left the house to visit a café and return his police firearm, fearing Baird might become violent. He later claimed to have impersonated an Uber Eats rider by wearing a helmet and high-visibility jacket, entering the residence while it was empty, and that the situation escalated beyond his control.

"I didn’t even do it to Luke, so use your brain," Lamarre-Condon said in the recording.

The friend, who visited Lamarre-Condon in custody wearing a listening device, recounted that the former officer made gun-like gestures and used profanity while asserting he had not intended to kill the second victim. He also described a prior conversation in which Lamarre-Condon suggested he was searching for a gun silencer during a Bali holiday and contemplated suicide.

"I was trying to find a gun," Lamarre-Condon told the friend, adding that he was concerned about the sound of a shot being heard from a house.

The prosecution highlighted the recorded statements as evidence that Lamarre-Condon was aware of the potential for violence and had discussed the murders with the friend. Lamarre-Condon's defence counsel, John Stratton SC, argued that the friend may have misinterpreted or misremembered the conversations.

The trial, which continues, will consider whether the recorded dialogue demonstrates intent or supports Lamarre-Condon's self-defence claim.