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Beau Lamarre-Condon faces further cross-examination in double murder trial
Developed over time first seen 1 day ago
Beau Lamarre-Condon’s cross-examination in the double murder trial examined his account of the killings, his finances and his actions afterwards. He is accused of murdering Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, and has denied intending to kill Baird, saying a second shot was fired accidentally during a struggle.
Lamarre-Condon told the court he earned about $120,000 a year as a police officer through extra shifts, and made additional money from a swimwear business, Bitcoin and reselling Hermès Birkin bags. He said he had gone to Baird’s home to retrieve a Cartier ring worth $24,450 and shirts, and explained that he wore an Uber Eats outfit to avoid recognition before buying high-visibility clothing because he feared an innocent person might be implicated. He also said he had been distressed after the alleged killings, despite appearing calm on CCTV, which he attributed to his police training.
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In short
- Lamarre-Condon denies intending to kill Baird.
- He described police work and side businesses as sources of income.
- His account of his actions after the deaths was challenged.
How this story developed
- 18 hours ago Lamarre-Condon accepted the second shot was fired at close range within seconds of the first, but said it discharged accidentally as the men struggled over the gun.
- 24 hours ago Cross-examination was set to continue as Lamarre-Condon gave more detail about carrying his service firearm, saying he had considered suicide the previous night and shot Baird deliberately to make him drop a knife.
- 24 hours ago Beau Lamarre-Condon, accused of murdering Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, told the court he denied intending to kill Baird and described his finances, his visit to retrieve valuables and his actions afterwards.
Full account
Beau Lamarre-Condon faced further questioning in the New South Wales Supreme Court on Monday in the trial over the deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. The former police officer has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and aggravated break and enter. Prosecutors allege he shot the couple with his service weapon at Baird’s Paddington home on 19 February 2024.
Lamarre-Condon again said he fired the first shot during a struggle with Baird, whom he said had a knife near his throat. At prosecutor Brett Hatfield’s request, he demonstrated his account for the jury: pushing Baird’s hand away, drawing his pistol and firing towards Baird’s right shoulder. He described the incident as happening very quickly, with movement throughout, while Hatfield challenged whether this differed from his earlier evidence that he was pinned.
The questioning also focused on a second shot to Baird’s temple. Lamarre-Condon accepted it was fired within seconds of the first and at close range, but denied intending to fire it. He said he had not meant to harm Baird and thought the wound might be a graze or scrape, referring to Baird’s hair as a reason he had not understood its severity. Hatfield put to him that the second shot was deliberate and intended to ensure Baird was dead; Lamarre-Condon rejected the characterisation.
The court heard part of a Triple Zero call in which a male voice says words including “get out” and “f*** off”. Hatfield attributed them to Davies; Lamarre-Condon said he heard two voices and claimed he was the one who said “get out” while Davies held the gun. He also said he was wearing a motorcycle helmet with a mouthpiece. Separately, he maintained that Davies was accidentally shot during a struggle over the firearm. The trial before Justice Natalie Adams is continuing.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
The reports share the account of Monday’s cross-examination and Lamarre-Condon’s denial that he intended the second shot. One gives greater attention to the close-range temple wound, the accused’s explanation that he thought it was a superficial injury, and the recorded emergency call. The other concentrates on his courtroom demonstration of the earlier struggle with Baird and the prosecutor’s challenge about whether his description of being pinned had changed. They therefore foreground different parts of the testimony; neither excerpt provides a complete account of the day’s proceedings.
Left-leaning outlets 1
- ‘This happened very quick’: Beau Lamarre-Condon reenacts shooting Jesse Baird during double murder trialThe Guardian
Only here: happened, quick, reenacts, shooting, jesse
Right-leaning outlets 1
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Every side used: beau, lamarre, condon, double, murder, trial
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The case for
The defence case is that Lamarre-Condon did not intend to kill either man and fired the first shot to stop an attack with a box cutter, with the second shot unintentional. His account that he had been contemplating suicide and went to recover valuable possessions may help explain why he had his firearm and was at the house, while the prosecution must prove the alleged crimes beyond reasonable doubt.
The case against
The prosecution can argue that the shooting was deliberate and that the circumstances of Lamarre-Condon’s visit, including wearing clothing to avoid recognition and bringing his service firearm, undermine his account of self-defence. His own admission that the first shot was intentional may also support a case that he meant to cause serious harm, while the court must assess his explanation against the other evidence.
Explained simply
Jesse Baird and Luke Davies were found dead in February 2024 after disappearing from Sydney. Baird was a television presenter and Davies was his partner; Beau Lamarre-Condon, a former New South Wales police officer, is accused of killing them.
The case is being heard in the NSW Supreme Court, where jurors must assess the evidence and decide whether the prosecution has proved the charges. Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty, so his account and the evidence presented by both sides form part of the trial.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Accused killer Beau Lamarre-Condon to undergo another day of interrogation on the witness stand in double murder trial”.