Former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon testifies in Sydney double-murder trial

Beau Lamarre-Condon, a 31-year-old former police officer, appeared as a witness in the New South Wales Supreme Court on Thursday, marking the first time the accused has given evidence in the trial over the February 2024 killings of Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one charge of aggravated break-and-enter.

Lamarre-Condon told the court that he and Baird had a sexual relationship that began in late 2022, ended in April 2023, and resumed briefly in mid-2023 before ending again in November. He said he later tampered with Baird’s vehicle and, on 19 February 2024, entered Baird’s Paddington home to retrieve personal items, fearing an apprehended violence order.

During his testimony, Lamarre-Condon described wearing a motorcycle helmet to approach the house without being recognized, entering Baird’s bedroom, and confronting Baird, who he said brandished a knife. He claimed he fired his service firearm in “police mode” to disarm Baird, resulting in an accidental discharge that killed Baird. He also recounted a subsequent struggle with Davies, during which a second shot was fired.

When questioned by Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC, Lamarre-Condon affirmed his decision to fire the first shot, stating he believed it prevented a greater threat. He expressed remorse, saying Baird “did not deserve” to die and that he felt a moral duty to cooperate with investigators after the incident.

The testimony concluded with Lamarre-Condon describing his surrender to police on 27 February 2024 and his efforts to help locate the victims’ bodies. Justice Natalie Adams will continue hearing the case in subsequent sessions.