Housemate’s startling discovery at alleged Lamarre-Condon crime scene
One of former TV presenter Jesse Baird’s housemates saw “red liquid” and two surfboard bags at their home before it was declared a crime scene, a court has heard, as images of items allegedly dumped by his accused killer were released.
Beau Lamarre-Condon, 31, is standing trial in the NSW Supreme Court on two counts of murder over the shooting deaths of Baird, 26, and his boyfriend, Luke Davies, 29, on February 19, 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The housemate, dubbed Belinda Smith in the proceedings, gave evidence on Thursday that the former Network Ten producer and presenter was slated to move out of their share house on February 20, the day after the alleged murders.
Cleaners had already been booked to come in ahead of the arrival of a new housemate, the court heard, and police body-worn footage captures officers speaking to three cleaners on February 21 before the home was declared a crime scene.
Smith gave evidence that she took a photo at 5.41pm on February 19 of what appeared to her to be “rusted water” in the backyard of the terrace.
“I saw two surfboard bags with a blue tarp over the top of them and red liquid,” she said. “I took a photo of the liquid.”
Smith had not seen the bags or surfboards in the house before, she told the court, and Baird had not spoken to her about surfing.
“I thought it was rusted water from the outdoor furniture,” she said.
“You had no reason to suspect at the time that there was anything else in those surfboard bags,” Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield, SC, said. “No,” she replied.
She said that she inspected the backyard again the following day and “saw that the surfboards had been cleared, and the liquid was gone”.
The court had heard Smith and another housemate, known in the proceedings as Sarah King, had wanted to renew their lease after March 2024 and have one of their female friends move in instead of Baird.
The Crown alleges that Lamarre-Condon posed as Baird to send messages to his housemates after his death, including writing: “Hi both, I’ve hired an Air Tasker to come and collect my things.
“I’ve just got to get someone with a van for my bed but everything else is clear. I might be doing a road trip to Perth with mates on Thursday night, so should be flying back Sunday and will 100% have it out by then.”
Smith said that at this stage they were worried Baird’s belongings would still be there when their new housemate arrived.
The court heard a second message was sent from Baird’s phone, which said: “Hey, so sorry, I won’t be able to make it tonight.
“I tried to find an Allen key to dismantle the bed but didn’t have one … Would there be any chance [the new housemate’s] removalist could just put it out the front?”
The court heard King texted Baird, raising concerns he had illegally dumped furniture on the street, and received no reply.
The alleged murders
The prosecution alleges Lamarre-Condon, then a NSW Police officer, murdered Baird with his police-issued pistol after developing an “obsessive and jealous infatuation” with him that escalated when Baird ended their casual relationship in November 2023.
Davies, Baird’s new boyfriend, was killed to eliminate a witness to the crime, the Crown alleges.
There is no dispute that Lamarre-Condon was at the terrace when Baird and Davies died, that they died of gunshot wounds from his police-issued pistol, and that he was disguised as a delivery rider.
However, the defence case is that Lamarre-Condon was there to pick up some of his belongings and did not expect anybody to be home. A struggle ensued in which his gun accidentally went off twice, killing Baird, and Davies accidentally shot himself in a second struggle after grabbing the gun, the defence says.
The defence case is that Lamarre-Condon panicked and dumped the bodies in blue surfboard bags at Bungonia, near Goulburn.
The court has heard Lamarre-Condon allegedly dumped furniture and bloodied items belonging to Baird and Davies in a skip bin at Cronulla Bowls Club. The items were discovered by workers on February 21.
Photographs tendered in court show a number of AFL-branded items in the skip. The court has heard Baird worked as an AFL umpire.
DNA from the gun
NSW Police Senior Sergeant Bronwyn Lansley was the lead forensic investigator at the Paddington home and was cross-examined by Lamarre-Condon’s barrister, John Stratton, SC, earlier on Thursday.
Lansley agreed that DNA analysis of a swab from the trigger of the accused’s gun indicated a mixture from at least three individuals.
Davies could not be excluded as a major contributor to the mixture and the accused could not be excluded as the minor contributor, the court heard.
The trial continues.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.
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