CCTV shows Sydney officer accessing gun locker before alleged double murders
Beau Lamarre-Condon, a 31-year-old Sydney police officer, is on trial for murdering his ex-boyfriend Jesse Baird, 26, and Baird's new partner Luke Davies, 29, on 19 February 2024. The case has significant implications for police accountability, as prosecutors allege Lamarre-Condon retained his police-issued firearm after his shift on 18 February and used it to commit the killings the following morning. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of domestic violence-related murder and one count of aggravated break and enter.
The NSW Supreme Court has released substantial evidence including CCTV footage showing Lamarre-Condon opening his gun locker at Balmain Police Station on 16 and 18 February, and footage of him disguised as an Uber Eats driver near Baird's Paddington home on the morning of the alleged murders. Court materials reveal prior conflicts between the men through Facebook messages in which Baird confronted Lamarre-Condon about lying and posting intimate content. Additional evidence includes receipts showing Lamarre-Condon spent over £900 at hardware and sports stores between 17–22 February purchasing a wheelbarrow, angle grinder, shovel, and concrete. Testimony from a friend, Georgia Cook, alleged Lamarre-Condon had previously asked her hypothetically what she would do if he had killed someone and whether she would help hide a body, and claimed he had been surveilling Baird.
- Police officer charged with murder of ex-boyfriend and his new partner; denies charges
- CCTV shows suspect in disguise near victim's home; prosecution alleges retained police firearm
- Evidence includes hardware purchases, surveillance allegations, and prior domestic conflict messaging
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
This case reveals significant vulnerabilities in police accountability mechanisms, particularly concerning firearm management and officer monitoring. Evidence suggests that warning signs—documented personal conflicts, surveillance activity, and concerning hypothetical conversations about concealing a body—were not adequately captured by existing protocols. Proponents of reform argue that enhanced psychological screening, closer scrutiny of officers involved in documented disputes, and stricter controls on firearm retention and off-duty conduct are necessary safeguards that the system demonstrably failed to provide.
The case against
Whilst the allegations warrant serious investigation, it would be premature to conclude systemic failure before trial completion. The case demonstrates that existing accountability structures ultimately functioned—the officer was identified, arrested, and charged through proper investigative channels. Advocates for caution argue that extraordinarily determined individuals may circumvent even robust systems, and that evidence-based policy reform should await complete understanding of what controls actually existed, whether they were genuinely circumvented, and whether reactive measures might prove counterproductive to recruitment and operational effectiveness.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Moment Beau Lamarre-Condon is seen opening his gun locker before shooting deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies”.