Sydney jury hears secret tape of accused discussing double shooting
Beau Lamarre-Condon told a friend he acted in self-defense and claimed he would have used a different weapon if the killings were planned.
By Maya Desai ·
A hidden audio recording of a prison visit has been played to a jury in Sydney, capturing the accused in a fatal double shooting describing the events as an out-of-body experience. The recording, made in December 2025, features Beau Lamarre-Condon speaking with a friend whose identity is protected by the court. The audio contradicts parts of the friend's earlier testimony while offering new details on Lamarre-Condon's state of mind.
Lamarre-Condon, 31, faces two murder charges and one aggravated break and enter count. He is accused of killing Jesse Baird and Luke Davies with his police service weapon at Baird's Paddington home on 19 February 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts. The friend first took the witness stand last Friday, stating that Lamarre-Condon confessed to the killings before trying to dismiss the admission as a joke.
During the Monday session, the court played the covert recording made by the friend at the request of police. At the start of the file, Lamarre-Condon asked the visitor to turn around to verify he was not wearing a wire. The friend replied that Lamarre-Condon was being paranoid. Lamarre-Condon also told the friend he was not self-aware in the way Lamarre-Condon was, a comment made after the friend expressed frustration at being called dumb.
The accused challenged the friend's memory regarding the motive for the shooting. Lamarre-Condon insisted he did not kill Davies to eliminate a witness, as the friend claimed, but rather acted in self-defense. He argued that entering Baird's home did not constitute a break and enter because Baird had previously provided him with a key. Lamarre-Condon conceded it was trespass but said it was normal to return to a former partner's home to collect belongings.
Lamarre-Condon stated that if he had planned the incident, he would have been calm and collected. He said he would have had cleaning supplies ready and would not have used a police firearm. He added that he could have purchased another gun for $10,000. The recording also includes Lamarre-Condon explaining that he tested the loudness of his weapon at Royal National Park in early 2024 because he planned to take his own life there.
The friend, who can be heard threatening to leave the room multiple times, questioned the truth of Lamarre-Condon's account. The trial is presided over by Justice Natalie Adams and continues in the New South Wales Supreme Court.
Source: The Guardian
