The trial of Beau Lamarre-Condon, the 31-year-old accused of murdering Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, took a grim turn on Wednesday. Prosecutors presented evidence to a Sydney jury suggesting Lamarre-Condon had previously visited the specific rural property where he allegedly attempted to dump the victims' bodies after the February 2024 killings.
The background
The court heard that in 2023, Lamarre-Condon matched with a 20-year-old man, Michael Cella, on Hinge. The two went on several dates, including a trip to a hobby farm owned by Cella’s family in Bungonia. According to Cella, he and Lamarre-Condon stayed overnight at the property in November 2023, where the officer filmed the area for his Instagram story. Cella testified that he later became suspicious of Lamarre-Condon’s behavior regarding his friendship with Baird, leading Cella to eventually cut off contact.
The forensic evidence
The prosecution also walked the jury through a 3D reconstruction of the Paddington home where the murders allegedly took place. A key point of contention is the distance from which the victims were shot. While the defence claims the shootings were accidental acts of self-defence, the prosecution argues the violence was targeted.
NSW police firearms examiner Lucas Van Der Walt testified regarding "stippling"—the pattern left by gunpowder—found on a bedroom door. The expert noted that the spread pattern on the door, which had been allegedly patched with wood putty and a hook, suggested the gun was discharged just 10 to 20cm away from Luke Davies.
Why it matters
The trial is highkey heavy, especially as the narrative connects a seemingly random hobby farm visit to the disposal of the victims' bodies. With the defence admitting to the cleanup but maintaining a self-defence angle, the specific details about the shooting distance and the timeline of events are the main character energy of this legal battle.
