Chilling decoy texts cop Beau Lamarre-Condon ‘sent from dead Channel 10 presenter’s phone’ after allegedly gunning down Jesse Baird and his boyfriend Luke Davies
A cop accused of murdering former Channel 10 presenter Jesse Baird and his friend allegedly sent text messages from the late producer’s phone.
NSW Police Senior Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon was charged with two counts of murder after allegedly using his police pistol to shoot dead Mr Baird, 26, and his partner Luke Davies, 29, at a house in Paddington in Sydney’s east.
Police will allege the 28-year-old used Mr Baird’s phone to send two lengthy text messages to the former Studio Ten reporter’s housemates, claiming he was moving to Perth.
It is believed Mr Baird was ‘kicked’ off the Paddington terrace last week due to the messy state of the house.
Mr Baird’s housemates informed him via text message that a cleaner would arrive at the property on Thursday.
Former Channel 10 presenter Jesse Baird (right) and his friend Luke Davies (left) were reportedly shot dead by Mr Baird’s ex-partner and police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon
NSW Police Senior Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon (pictured) was charged with double murder. It is alleged the 28-year-old used his police-issued handgun to kill the pair
In the first text message, Lamarre-Condon allegedly told Mr Baird’s housemates that he would collect and store the furniture as he was moving to Perth on Thursday, police sources told police. Sunday Telegraph.
Lamarre-Condon then allegedly sent a second text asking the housemates to put Mr Baird’s furniture, including his bed head, out on the street.
One police source said the text messages initially led investigators to believe Mr. Baird was still alive.
However, another police source branded the messages an “amateur” attempt to justify Mr Baird’s absence.
“It turned out to be a rather amateurish attempt to create a story so that people wouldn’t be suspicious if the victim never returned home,” the source said.
Mr Baird’s cousin Austin shared an emotional tribute on Saturday evening – the first from the presenter’s family to do so publicly – along with several photos of the couple together with loved ones.
“Jesse, my very first best friend, I’m devastated. I still can’t believe it. “Most of my favorite memories in life were me, Luke, Brendan and you motorcycling, skiing, boating and camping,” he wrote on Instagram.
The post included a recent video of Mr Baird and his loved ones taking photos at a gathering, while other photos showed him and Austin as children.
“I’ll never forget our conversations, all the times we hung out on the weekends and went away with family and friends,” Austin continued.
‘I told you things I would never tell anyone that I trusted you, I laughed and cried in front of you!
‘You were one in a million, you cared about everyone and left such an impact on everyone you met!
“I will love and remember you forever, buddy. It’s an honor to be your cousin. Until we meet again.’
Police sources said Lamarre-Condon used Mr Baird’s phone to text his housemates after killing the couple to fake an upcoming interstate move.
Police branded the two lengthy text messages as an ‘amateur’ attempt to create a narrative to justify Mr Baird’s absence
Channel 10 stars – including National Affairs editor and presenter at 10 News First, Hugh Riminton, veteran presenter Sandra Sully and Abbie Chatfield, also shared moving tributes to their former colleague.
Lamarre-Condon handed himself in to police in Bondi and faced Waverley Local Court on Friday afternoon. He is accused of two murders.
According to court documents, the pair were allegedly murdered by Lamarre-Condon at Mr Baird’s terrace house in Paddington between 12.01pm and 5.30pm on Monday.
The shooting is said to have taken place just hours after they were last seen alive during a pre-Mardi Gras party at the Beresford Hotel in Surry Hills on Sunday.
Later Monday evening, Lamarre-Condon rented a white Toyota HiAce van from Mascot and allegedly used it to remove the couple’s bodies, police said.
Lamarre-Condon allegedly rented the white van and drove there Lambton, in Newcastle on Thursday, before driving back to the Shire on Friday morning, where he was discovered in Grays Point.
Police will allege Lamarre-Condon used his police-issue Glock pistol to shoot the couple.
It is alleged he then stored the gun at a suburban police station, although investigators did not specify which office, before going on sick leave on Tuesday and not returning to work on Wednesday.
Detective Chief Inspector Danny Doherty from the Homicide Unit said police had matched a bullet cartridge found at the property to the police weapon.
“Police located a projectile that had been fired as well as a fired cartridge casing within the property,” Detective Inspector Doherty said.
“This has now been physically linked to a NSW Police firearm and forms part of the evidence for the alleged offenses to appear in court for this 28-year-old man.”
Flowers pictured at Mr Baird’s home on Brown Street in Paddington, Sydney’s east
Detectives were told by family and friends that Mr. Baird was bombarded with text messages and phone calls in the months after he ended his relationship with Lamarre-Condon.
He took sick leave from the NSW Police Force for the remainder of the day and was unable to return to work the next day.
Police found bloodied clothing and other belongings, including credit cards belonging to Mr Baird and Mr Davies, dumped in a bin in Cronulla on Wednesday.
Serious concerns for the couple’s welfare arose after police searched the property in Brown Street and found pools of blood and blood-spattered furniture.
Police are leading an extensive search for the bodies of Mr Baird and Mr Davies.
Detectives are searching an area from Newcastle, about two hours north of Sydney, to the Shire, in the south of the city, in the hope of finding their bodies.
Meanwhile, a police diver is also searching a waterway in Lambton and was assisted by homicide detectives on Friday and Saturday.
Detectives are relying on Lamarre-Condon’s cooperation, CCTV, toll road payments and mobile GPS data to piece together the events in the days after the double murder.
Lamarre-Condon was previously in a relationship with Mr Baird but had split in recent months, with Mr Baird announcing his relationship with his new boyfriend in February.
Family and friends of Mr Baird told police they were deeply concerned about Lamarre-Condon’s behavior in the lead-up to the Channel 10 presenter’s death.
Lamarre-Condon turned himself in to police in Bondi on Friday and was charged with double murder. The former celebrity chaser turned police officer has not applied for bail and will appear in court again on April 23. Lamarre-Condon is pictured with Lady Gaga (left) and Dua Lipa (right)
During the course of the investigation, police learned that Lamarre-Condon had bombarded Mr Baird with phone calls and text messages for months after their relationship ended.
Chief Inspector Doherty said there had been no ‘w’Reporting flags or complaints made to the police since the couple separated, but which have happened since in the course of their investigation “It has been documented that there was concerning behavior alleged by family and friends.”
Lamarre-Condon once rose to fame as a celebrity hunter and was photographed by stars such as Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa and Harry Styles.
He did not apply for bail at his hearing on Friday and will appear again on April 23.