Officer Accused of Sydney Double Murders Told Dating Match He Was Sick
Voice notes played in court describe the accused's physical state and social media break in the 48 hours following the alleged killings.
By Giulia Donovan ·
Beau Lamarre-Condon told a man he met on a dating app that he was recovering from a minor surgery and trying to maintain a positive outlook, according to voice notes played to a jury. The recordings were presented during the double murder trial in the New South Wales Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Lamarre-Condon, 31, is accused of shooting Jesse Baird and Luke Davies with his service weapon in Baird’s Paddington home on 19 February 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one charge of aggravated break and enter. A man who matched with Lamarre-Condon in early 2024 had his statement read to the court, noting they dated casually without a formal relationship.
On the morning of 20 February 2024, the man replied to a text from Lamarre-Condon. Hours later, the officer sent a voice note stating he had been very sick and had surgery scheduled for the next day. He told the man he was not going to the gym that week and planned to cancel a boat party because his body did not look its best. He mentioned having a Taylor Swift concert ticket for that night, with other plans depending on the surgical outcome.
In a second recording sent immediately after, Lamarre-Condon apologized for sounding negative, describing himself as a generally positive person. Later that night, the man noticed Lamarre-Condon had removed his Instagram profile. The officer responded around midnight on 21 February 2024, explaining he had shut down all social media for a mental break. He noted that one does not realize how addictive the platforms are until using them constantly.
The jury has previously reviewed CCTV footage of Lamarre-Condon at St Vincent’s hospital. A surgeon testified that he underwent a minor procedure on 21 February 2024. That morning, the officer sent a photo from his hospital bed with the message that he was looking forward to sleeping.
Defence lawyer John Stratton SC has argued that Baird and Davies were accidentally shot during two separate struggles while the officer acted in self-defense. Stratton stated that Lamarre-Condon cleaned the scene and disposed of the bodies because he panicked considerably. Justice Natalie Adams is presiding over the trial, which is ongoing.
