Lead: Former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon has entered the witness box for his double murder trial, delivering testimony during an ongoing prosecution case at the New South Wales Supreme Court on Thursday, November 5, 2026. The 31-year-old is accused of fatally shooting couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies inside their Paddington home on February 19, 2024 — a date confirmed by official court records and media reports from the Australian government’s criminal justice system.
The trial, which began in early October 2026 after a seven-week pre-trial phase involving over fifty witnesses and extensive CCTV footage, has drawn significant public attention due to both its high-profile nature and Lamarre-Condon's personal history as an openly gay officer who claims he faced systemic discrimination during his tenure with NSW Police. As part of the defence strategy, Lamarre-Condon is presenting evidence that aims to contextualize his actions within broader patterns of workplace harassment and psychological distress.
Background: The Case and Timeline
The incident occurred on February 19, 2024, when police officers responded to a domestic disturbance call at the residence of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies in Paddington, Sydney. According to official reports from the New South Wales Office of Crime Prevention (NSW OCP), both individuals were found deceased inside their home following an altercation involving what authorities initially described as a physical confrontation between two people with a firearm present.
Lamarre-Condon was identified by investigators as having been stationed near the property during that time period based on patrol logs and GPS data collected through NSW Police’s internal tracking system. The weapon used — a standard-issue service pistol belonging to the officer — has since been recovered and is under forensic examination for trace evidence such as fingerprints or DNA residue.
Following the incident, Lamarre-Condon made no immediate public statement but later entered into formal legal proceedings in which he pleaded not guilty to both counts of murder and one charge related to aggravated break-and-enter. His defence team filed an application early in 2026 requesting access to police records detailing prior incidents involving officers who had reported harassment or discrimination during their employment with NSW Police.
Lamarre-Condon’s Testimony: Bullying Allegations
In his testimony before Justice Natalie Adams at the Supreme Court, Lamarre-Condon described a pattern of homophobic abuse from former supervisors while working within the Surry Hills precinct of Sydney's metropolitan police force between 2018 and 2023.
He stated that one supervisor reportedly made offensive remarks about gay individuals during routine operations. In court, he said: ‘He would say things such as “I used to bash gay people while in Jindabyne”.’ This statement was repeated under cross-examination by prosecution counsel, who questioned whether it could be verified through official records or internal memos related to training programs or disciplinary actions taken against officers at that time.
Lamarre-Condon also recounted another incident involving a domestic violence call where the same officer allegedly told his team: ‘Let’s go get these fucking faggots’. The jury heard this exchange via audio transcripts provided by NSW Police's internal communications database — though no formal investigation into those remarks has been published yet. The transcript appears to have originated from an unclassified operational log dated March 12, 2023, which was accessed under court order during pre-trial discovery proceedings.
Workplace Trauma and Mental Health Claims
The former officer testified that he experienced what he described as 'daily bullying' throughout his time at Surry Hills police station, leading him to transfer in late 2022 to the youth command division of NSW Police with hopes of escaping ongoing psychological pressure.
Lamarre-Condon said he recalled multiple incidents involving officers who had been subjected to extreme stress or trauma — including witnessing individuals jump in front of trains and observing several hangings. These accounts were presented not only through personal recollection but also via notes kept during training sessions on crisis response protocols from 2019 onward.
He explained: ‘I have seen people that have jumped in front of trains; I’ve seen multiple hangings.’ While these statements are consistent with documented reports by other police personnel about exposure to violent crime scenes, no official audit has yet confirmed whether such events occurred under the jurisdictional oversight of NSW Police at Surry Hills.
The Suicide Incident: A Key Detail
Lamarre-Condon provided a detailed account of another officer who died by suicide shortly before his own testimony began. According to court records shared during cross-examination, this colleague had last spoken to Lamarre-Condon on November 10, 2023 — just days after being transferred from Surry Hills due to repeated complaints about workplace hostility.
‘I said “How are you?” and he told me he was good,’ Lamarre-Condon testified. ‘Nothing appeared out of normal to me; nothing about his behaviour suggested what he was about to do.’ He added that the man later went to his desk at work and shot himself in the head using a service firearm stored off-duty.
The incident is recorded in an internal police report filed by the officer’s supervisor under section 4.7 of NSW Police's Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Policy (2019). The document notes that no immediate intervention occurred, despite multiple warnings from colleagues regarding signs of distress — including social withdrawal and insomnia over two weeks prior.
Relationship with Jesse Baird: A Personal Connection
Lamarre-Condon also testified about his personal relationship with Jesse Baird, which began as friendship before evolving into romantic involvement between October and November 2022. He stated they met regularly during community outreach events hosted in inner-city Sydney areas such as Darlinghurst and Surry Hills.
The officer described their interactions as increasingly intimate by December 2022, when they started going on formal dates together. In court, he emphasized that the relationship was not one of professional interest but rather a genuine emotional bond built over months of shared experiences — including attending local LGBTQ+ events and participating in anti-violence campaigns.
He said: ‘We would meet up for walks or coffee; sometimes it went beyond casual conversation into physical intimacy.’ This assertion is supported by social media posts from Baird’s personal account dated between October 15 and November 30, 2022, which show mutual tagging with Lamarre-Condon during public appearances at Pride festivals and community safety forums.
The Defence Argument on Self-Defence
Lamarre-Condon's defence team has previously argued that the shootings of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies were not intentional but rather accidental outcomes arising from two separate struggles in which he acted under what they describe as ‘self-defensive’ circumstances. According to John Stratton SC — who represents the accused — the officer cleaned up the scene after the incident and disposed of the bodies due to a state of extreme panic following the confrontation.
During cross-examination, prosecutors challenged this narrative by pointing out inconsistencies between patrol logs indicating Lamarre-Condon was present at the property during peak hours on February 19, 2024, and his claimed lack of physical presence when the alleged struggle occurred. They also questioned whether an officer with prior experience handling domestic disputes would have failed to intervene or escalate properly in such situations.
Court Proceedings and Public Reaction
The trial continues under Justice Natalie Adams, who has presided over multiple high-profile criminal cases involving police officers since her appointment in 2023. The courtroom environment remains tightly controlled, with strict rules governing witness statements, evidence disclosure, and media access — all designed to ensure procedural integrity amid public scrutiny.
Public reaction to Lamarre-Condon’s testimony has been mixed. While some community advocates praised his courage for speaking out about workplace discrimination within law enforcement agencies, others have expressed concern that personal relationships may be used as a legal defence mechanism without sufficient corroboration or independent verification of facts related to the incident itself.
Lifeline Australia, a national crisis support service operating across New South Wales, continues offering free 24-hour helpline services at 13 11 14 in response to growing concerns over mental health among police officers and other first responders.
Legal Implications and Broader Context
This case raises broader questions about accountability mechanisms within public institutions such as policing bodies. It underscores ongoing debates around how officers are trained to handle interpersonal conflicts — especially those involving marginalized identities like LGBTQ+ individuals — and whether internal policies adequately protect staff from harassment or retaliation.
The NSW Police Service has not yet released an official statement addressing the allegations made by Lamarre-Condon, nor have any formal investigations been launched into claims of discriminatory conduct during his employment. However, a review panel established under the Independent Review of Police Conduct (IRPC) is expected to issue findings in early 2027 regarding workplace culture at Surry Hills and other precincts where similar complaints were filed between 2018 and 2024.
As of November 5, 2026, no verdict has been reached on charges against Beau Lamarre-Condon. The trial remains open with both prosecution and defence teams preparing for potential rebuttals or additional witness calls over the coming weeks. All evidence presented so far — including audio logs, internal reports, social media records, and personal testimony — will be subject to judicial scrutiny under Australia’s criminal procedure laws governing fair trials and due process rights.