Former Police Officer Denies Murder Intent in Sydney Trial

Beau Lamarre-Condon defended his actions in a Sydney courtroom on Monday, denying allegations that he planned to assassinate his former partner Jesse Baird and deliberately shoot Luke Davies.

The former New South Wales police officer faces two counts of murder over the deaths of Baird, 26, and Davies, 29, in Paddington on February 19, 2024.

The high-profile trial centers on whether the killings were premeditated murders or the result of a chaotic self-defense struggle inside a residential share house.

During cross-examination in the NSW Supreme Court, Crown Prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC asked the 31-year-old if he intended to kill his ex-partner during the confrontation.

"You executed him with that second shot," said Brett Hatfield, the Crown prosecutor.

"I never executed Jesse Baird," said Beau Lamarre-Condon, the accused former police officer.

Lamarre-Condon testified that he entered the Paddington home wearing stolen food delivery clothing to avoid being recognized by Baird, who had previously asked him to refrain from contact.

According to the defendant, Baird lunged at him with a knife, prompting him to fire his police-issued pistol once to disarm him before a second shot discharged accidentally during the ensuing struggle.

The accused said Davies then grabbed the weapon and accidentally shot himself while yelling at the intruder to leave the hallway.

Hatfield questioned the defendant about his demeanor after the killings, pointing to CCTV footage that showed him laughing at a restaurant and relieving himself near his vehicle.

Lamarre-Condon maintained that he was simply detached from the incident and defended his behavior as a coping mechanism involving dark humor.

The former officer also denied assertions by the Crown that he was dangerously obsessed with Baird from the very beginning of their relationship.

"Jesse Baird could have been a garbage cleaner… I liked Jesse for who he was as a person," said Lamarre-Condon.

The trial before Justice Natalie Adams continues as the jury evaluates the conflicting accounts of the fatal morning.