Jury Shown CCTV of Beau Lamarre-Condon Buying Surfboard Bag Before Alleged Double Murder

A jury in the trial of former New South Wales police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon has been shown CCTV footage of him shopping for a surfboard bag two days before prosecutors allege he killed Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.

Lamarre-Condon, 31, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one count of aggravated break and enter. The trial is being heard in the NSW Supreme Court and is expected to last around three months.

On Thursday, September 24, jurors watched footage recorded inside a sports store on February 17, 2024. The video showed Lamarre-Condon examining surfboard bags while accompanied by a friend.

Prosecutors allege the former officer was already planning how to dispose of Jesse Baird’s body. During the Crown’s opening address, prosecutors said the friend is expected to testify that Lamarre-Condon asked whether he could fit inside one of the bags.

When the friend reportedly said he probably could not, prosecutors allege Lamarre-Condon replied that he would choose another bag because it should be large enough.

The jury was shown other CCTV footage documenting Lamarre-Condon’s movements around Sydney during the days surrounding the alleged killings. Investigators told the court they obtained thousands of hours of CCTV footage from more than 200 locations covering the period from February 16 to February 23, 2024.

The footage included Lamarre-Condon arriving at and leaving Balmain Police Station, driving his Tesla and stopping at ATMs. Jurors were also shown footage of Baird and Davies at the Beresford Hotel in Surry Hills on the afternoon of February 18.

Baird and Davies were allegedly killed at Baird’s home in Paddington, Sydney, on February 19, 2024. Prosecutors allege Lamarre-Condon used his police firearm in the shootings and later took steps to conceal what had happened.

The Crown alleges that after the shootings, Lamarre-Condon obtained a second surfboard bag and used a hired van to move the bodies. Prosecutors further allege that the bodies were eventually transported to a rural property south of Sydney.

The defence has presented a different account of what happened. Defence barrister John Stratton SC told the jury that Lamarre-Condon’s case is that he acted in self-defence during two separate struggles at the Paddington property.

The defence has urged jurors not to reach conclusions before hearing all of the evidence.

The trial remains ongoing, and the allegations made by prosecutors have not been proven. The jury will ultimately consider the evidence presented by both sides before reaching its verdict.

Sources
ABC News — Jury shown CCTV of Beau Lamarre-Condon buying surfboard bag
ABC News — Murder trial begins and prosecution’s allegations
ABC News — Defence says Lamarre-Condon acted in self-defence