Jesse Baird, Luke Davies case: Beau Lamarre-Condon ‘bought weights, angle grinder’; police divers leave dams site
Divers won’t return to the area near Goulburn in the search for the bodies of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.
Divers from NSW Police’s Marine Area Command have left the site where officers had hoped they’d be able to find and retrieve the bodies of murdered couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.
The divers, NSW Police said, would not return to the Bungonia farmland having found “no items of interest” in two dams the unit had been searching.
Police allege that Beau Lamarre-Condon bought weights and an angle grinder which he took to Bungonia.
Divers searched for “items of interest” at two dams on Hazelton Rd, about 35km south of Goulburn in NSW’s Southern Tablelands, after intelligence placed accused murder Lamarre-Condon at the rural spot last week and revelations from the police commissioner on Monday that he brought along a female acquaintance.
That acquaintance, police said, was an “innocent party” and was unaware of Lamarre-Condon’s alleged crime, and was co-operating with police.
Divers had been searching the two dams located at 64 Hazleton Rd since Sunday afternoon, believing they could have been where Lamarre-Condon allegedly dumped the pair’s bodies.
In the first dam, police found that it had not been disturbed at all while at the second, a larger dam a bit further back, no human remains, nor other relevant items, were found.
A tin rowing boat, however, from the second dam was taken away on the back of a police truck. It is understood it will undergo forensic analysis to see if it may have been allegedly used by Lamarre-Condon.
The entirety of the farm area totals about 100 acres and will be searched on foot by the remaining officers, although it is understood that search is more procedural in nature.
Fabrizio Cella, who owns 64 Cella Farm, where the dams of interest were located, is not accused of any wrongdoing, saying he was away from the farm last week and “knew no more” than the media or public did, and police had requested access to his property on Sunday.
Lamarre-Condon is not known to Mr Cella, and the accused police officer is alleged to have broken into the property with an angle grinder he bought in Goulburn en route to the property after the alleged double homicide.
Triple-zero call from alleged victim’s phone
Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson appeared at a NSW Police press conference today to outlined the ongoing Strike Force Ashfordby investigation into the alleged double homicide.
The Deputy Commissioner told the press that a triple-zero call from Jesse’s phone was made from the Paddington residence on the day of the alleged murders four minutes after the first shots, before being disconnected.
Deputy Commissioner Hudson alleged that Lamarre-Condon then travelled to Bungonia in a rented white Hiace van where he enlisted the help of a friend in purchasing an angle grinder and padlock which he used to break into a property on which two dams being investigated are located.
Lamarre-Condon returned to the property later that day with weights.
“The acquaintance was left at the top of the property for a period of 30 minutes. The accused disappeared for that period in the Hiace van, returning to pick up the acquaintance and then they returned to Sydney later that afternoon,” Deputy Commissioner Hudson said.
“I can indicate that weights were purchased from a department store by the accused and it is believed that the accused returned to that rural property overnight … having acquired two torches from the acquaintance. We can indicate at 4.30am on Thursday morning, we can place the accused leaving the Bungonia area again.”
Police allege he then travelled to Newcastle where he cleaned the van at a friend’s house.
“We can indicate that the accused remained in the Newcastle area until about 5am, returning to the city at about 6.15am on Friday morning,” Deputy Commissioner Hudson said.
“It would appear that the accused was suspicious of the acquaintance that attended with him and about her beliefs of what he might be up to and very likely may have returned to those bodies later that evening. In that case we believe that he may have moved them.
“The acquaintance is not a suspect in this matter. We believe she was an innocent agent.
“We believe potentially through a former relationship of his, he was connected to that property in some way.”
Police Commissioner Karen Webb, also appearing at the same press conference, said a review into the handling of police firearms would be “necessary” following the alleged use of Lamarre-Condon’s service weapon.
Commissioner Webb also said NSW Police would march at mardi gras this year, despite the alleged actions of constable Lamarre-Condon, who marched at the event in years prior.
“We have been building a bridge with the gay and lesbian community since the 78ers were mishandled by police back on the day,” Commissioner Webb said. “We have been participating in mardi gras for the last 20 years and haven’t missed a year.
“I would hate to see that this is the year that we are excluded because of the actions of one person that is not gay hate related, this is a crime of passion, we will allege. It is domestic related, we allege, and that would be a real travesty for this organisation to be excluded.”
Commissioner Webb responded to criticism of her handling of the investigation into the alleged murder of Davies and Baird, and the broader NSW Police culture that is suggested to have enabled Lamarre-Condon’s alleged actions.
“We have been updating our (service weapon) policies and we do react to the recommendations and coroners and others and there is clearly more work to be done. That is why I have called for a review,” Commissioner Webb said.
The Commissioner has met the families of Baird and Davies.
Marine Area Command divers arrive at the crime scene near Bungonia, to continue searching dams for the missing bodies of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. pic.twitter.com/efpX9bFvqv
— Alexi Demetriadi (@ADemetriadi) February 25, 2024
‘Gaps in the timeline’
Police are concerned that there are “gaps in the timeline” in which the bodies of Luke and Jesse could have been moved or further hidden.
“It is possible the accused, in that gap in the timeline, has returned to that property and retrieved the bodies and disposed of them somewhere else,” Deputy Commissioner Hudson said.
“I can indicate that the accused has not disclosed of where Jesse and Luke are … but it is our number one priority at this moment to try and locate Jesse and Luke to give the family some solace.
“He has taken legal advice not to talk to us. We are hopeful of speaking to him again today and hopefully he has a change of mind.”
It is believed Lamarre-Condon used the property because it was in the possession of a former relationship partner.
“To one of the acquaintances on the Tuesday, there were certain partial admissions made in relation to that activity (the murder of Baird and Davies),” Deputy Commissioner Hudson said.
“However, that information at the time was not passed onto police but all these acquaintances at this stage are co-operating with police.”
Police probe accused cop’s initial psychiatric evaluation
Police are investigating his initial psychiatric evaluation upon joining the police force, and other initial recruitment information.
Lamarre-Condon is said to have taken sick leave following a leave day over the period from Wednesday to Friday in which it is alleged he hid the bodies of Baird and Davies.
Police claim that the relationship between Lamarre-Condon and Jesse Baird ended badly, prompting Lamarre-Condon to break into Baird’s property in the weeks prior to the Paddington disappearance.
“The relationship which ended at the end of last year, it didn’t end well and we believe that the accused had attended Jesse’s home address,” Deputy Commissioner Hudson said.
“We believe that he had utilised a key to enter those premises. We believe he took possession of Jesse’s phone and deleted contacts and messages out of that phone before leaving the premises.”
The prior break-in was not reported to NSW Police.
It was alleged that the relationship between Baird and Lamarre-Condon was “on and off again” and that Lamarre-Condon displayed “indicators of predatory behaviour” prior to the alleged crime.
Police established the crime scene and began operations on Sunday afternoon, after intelligence gathered by the force placed Lamarre-Condon’s white Toyota Hiace van in the area last week, in the days after the alleged murders of Mr Baird and Mr Davies.
Police allege the youth command officer murdered the pair with his police-issued Glock at Mr Baird’s home in Paddington, Sydney.
A team of four divers from the police’s Marine Area Command started investigatory diving on Sunday and would continue searching the dams across Monday.
Mr Lamarre-Condon is refusing pleas from fellow officers to assist as they narrow their efforts to locate the bodies of his two alleged victims.
On Sunday a police source said Lamarre-Condon was refusing to co-operate with the police, as forensics officers again searched the Paddington home where they believe the couple were murdered on Monday.
Police divers in wetsuits earlier also resumed their search of waterways in the Newcastle suburb of Lambton where Lamarre-Condon is alleged to have driven the white Toyota HiAce van after alleging using his police-issued Glock service pistol in Baird’s Paddington terrace.
The youth engagement officer is in protective custody after handing himself in to Bondi Police station on Friday, where he was charged with the murders of ex-Studio Ten reporter Mr Baird, 26, and Qantas flight attendant Mr Davies.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Lamarre-Condon was able to get access to his firearm last Sunday by claiming he was doing a “user pays” shift, performing duties at a pro-Palestinian rally in the city, for which the organisers were reimbursing police for the costs.
Lamarre-Condon is Operation Support Group (OSG) trained, meaning he had completed additional training qualifying him to work user pay shifts which permit him to work extra shifts at events such as concerts or protests on top of normal shift work for extra pay.
It appears the 28-year-old later returned the weapon to a police station firearms storage area.
On Sunday, Commissioner Webb pleaded for patience from the public, saying police were working around the clock to resolve the unanswered questions hanging over the case.
“I acknowledge this week’s events are distressing for many and I share the sadness and shock about the alleged nature of Luke and Jesse’s deaths,” Commissioner Webb said.
“I understand there are many unanswered questions and while I cannot comment on the matter before the courts, I can reassure Luke and Jesse’s loved ones, and the people of NSW, that we are working around the clock to find those answers,” she said.
“I ask the community to have patience as police work to determine what happened. As our investigation continues, I would ask anyone who has information that could assist, to please come forward and contact us”
Police were investigating “decoy” text messages Lamarre-Condon allegedly sent from Mr Baird’s phone to his house mates hours after the alleged murders saying he was moving to Perth — in a bid to conceal the alleged killings.
In one message, the texter said he would collect the furniture and put it into storage because he was moving to Perth on Thursday, but in a second message told them to put the property, including a bed head, out onto the street.
Police are continuing to examine data retrieved from the phone.
Officers are investigating whether it was Constable Lamarre-Condon’s intense resentment over his recent break-up with Mr Baird and jealousy over his new partner that drove him to allegedly kill the couple.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the state government would consider any recommendations for more rigorous mental health assessments for police officers, following the tragedy.
On Sunday the Ten Network issued a heart-rending tribute to Jesse Baird, describing the former Studio Ten reporter as “so much more than a colleague”.
“He was a cherished friend who brightened every day with his positivity, cheeky winks and brilliant smile. He could handle anything from croc feeding to speeding down a river on water skis on live TV – anything to keep the audience entertained.”
“As his workmates and friends, we are completely shattered … He was up for anything and the life of the party always. It is quite simply impossible to overstate how much we adored him.”
Mr Baird and Mr Davies were last seen on Sunday night, before they went back to Mr Baird’s house at Brown St, Paddington, a few blocks from Oxford St and St Vincent’s Hospital.
Police believe the couple were both killed in the home.
At about 9.30pm, Constable Lamarre-Condon leased a white Toyota HiAce in the southeast Sydney suburb of Mascot. Police will allege that the vehicle was used to transport the bodies of the two men from the Paddington home to another location.
Officers were first alerted to the missing couple on Wednesday after their bloodied belongings – including some clothes – were found shoved in a skip-bin behind a Cronulla club. After tracking the belongings back to the Paddington residence, and being confronted with upturned furniture and large amounts of blood, the officers immediately established a crime scene.
Police searched the Balmain home of Constable Lamarre-Condon’s mother and stepfather on Thursday night.
Constable Lamarre-Condon, whose mother has been an unsworn NSW Police employee, is understood to have joined the force in 2018, stationed at Surry Hills as a probationary constable. He gained publicity in 2020 when video of him tasering a man in the face during an arrest went viral. He was cleared of wrongdoing.
Constable Lamarre-Condon was spotted outside the house in which US celebrity Kourtney Kardashian was staying in Sydney’s Bellevue Hill last week, attempting to have a photograph taken with her.
In recent weeks Constable Lamarre-Condon, who grew up in the Sutherland Shire, was also spotted in Rose Bay in a Tesla SUV, telling associates he had started a swimsuit line and was about to begin training with the Protection Operations Unit, the unit responsible for the security of politicians, diplomats and other dignitaries.
The 28-year-old appeared before Waverley Local Court on Friday afternoon and did not apply for bail.
His case was adjourned to April 23.
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