The trial of former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon began in Sydney's supreme court on Monday, with the crown alleging he developed an "infatuation and obsession" with one of his victims before fatally shooting him and another man. Lamarre-Condon, 31, pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one charge of aggravated break and enter.
Alleged planning and disguise
Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield told the jury panel that Lamarre-Condon and Jesse Baird, 26, had been romantically involved from late 2022 into 2023. Hatfield said Lamarre-Condon "developed an infatuation and obsession with Jesse Baird which manifested itself in a range of compulsive behaviour."
This behaviour escalated after Baird ended all contact with Lamarre-Condon in November 2023. The crown alleged Lamarre-Condon began planning Baird's murder in early 2024, investigating ways to conceal the sound of gunfire, hiring a vehicle under his mother's name, and buying a surfboard bag to dispose of the body.
Fatal shooting details
On 19 February 2024, Lamarre-Condon allegedly wore a motorcycle helmet and disguised himself as an Uber Eats rider to enter Baird's Paddington home using a key he had previously obtained. Hatfield said Lamarre-Condon "then proceeded to the kitchen, where he shot Jesse twice, he then proceeded back to the bedroom where he shot Luke Davies."
Davies, 29, was Baird's partner. The bodies were found almost 200km away in Bungonia, eight days after the alleged killings. The prosecution said Lamarre-Condon had earlier unsuccessfully tried to sink the bodies in a nearby dam.
Trial proceedings
Lamarre-Condon appeared in the dock at the King Street courthouse in a light grey suit, dark tie and white shirt, repeating his pleas. He had offered to plead guilty to an alternative charge of manslaughter, but the prosecution rejected it.
Baird and Davies' loved ones, including their mothers and siblings, watched the proceedings. The courtroom was filled with members of the public and media. The jury has been chosen, and the trial is expected to continue for another two to three months.
