A former colleague has told the NSW Supreme Court that the accused became increasingly fixated on television presenter Jesse Baird. The jury also heard evidence about an Instagram post involving flowers that prosecutors say formed part of the relationship between the two men before Baird and Luke Davies were killed.
The trial of former NSW Police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon has heard further evidence about his relationship with television presenter Jesse Baird, including claims that he became increasingly fixated on him and later went into “damage control” over a misleading Instagram post.
Lamarre-Condon, 31, is standing trial in the NSW Supreme Court accused of murdering Baird and his boyfriend, Luke Davies, at Baird’s Paddington home in Sydney’s east on February 19, 2024.
He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one count of aggravated break and enter.
His legal team has raised self-defence as part of its case.
The Crown alleges Lamarre-Condon developed a jealous infatuation with Baird after the two had some form of romantic involvement beginning in 2022, while Baird considered the relationship casual.
Prosecutors further allege that Baird was stalked in the period leading up to his death.
COURT HEARS OF GROWING FIXATION
Senior Constable Nicole Harvell, who worked with Lamarre-Condon and became close to him after several shifts together in 2023, gave evidence about their conversations.
She told the court that much of their communication involved Baird and that she had effectively taken on the role of a counsellor.
According to her evidence, Lamarre-Condon appeared concerned that Baird was not as interested in him as he was in Baird.
The jury heard that Lamarre-Condon told Harvell he had decided to end the relationship in April 2023 after seeing messages on Baird’s phone involving another man.
Harvell told the court Lamarre-Condon knew Baird’s phone passcode and had accessed the device.
After the apparent split, she said Lamarre-Condon initially appeared comfortable with his decision but later became “quite fixated on Jesse”.
Messages read to the jury included references to whether Baird was viewing Lamarre-Condon’s Instagram stories and to activity on Baird’s Spotify account.
The court heard Lamarre-Condon had previously logged into Baird’s Spotify account and was continuing to monitor what music had been played.
THE INSTAGRAM FLOWERS POST
The jury also heard evidence about an Instagram story posted by Lamarre-Condon to his “close friends” list.
The post showed a bouquet of flowers with a caption suggesting they had been sent by someone who was in Melbourne.
Baird was in Melbourne at the time, but the court heard he had not sent the flowers.
Harvell said Lamarre-Condon told her he had taken the image from the internet and restricted who could see the post because he wanted other men to “back off”.
However, a screenshot was allegedly sent to Baird, who then confronted Lamarre-Condon about the post.
Harvell told the court Lamarre-Condon then went into what she described as “damage control”.
She said he took the image to a florist and spent about $160 to have the bouquet recreated.
The jury heard that Lamarre-Condon then asked his mother to pose with the flowers and a handwritten note in an apparent attempt to support his original explanation.
Harvell said Lamarre-Condon initially maintained his version of events before attempting to contact Baird and explain what had happened.
The court heard that Baird subsequently blocked him.
WITNESS SAYS SHE BELIEVED BAIRD WAS ‘PLAYING GAMES’
Harvell also told the court about her own interpretation of the situation at the time.
She said she believed Baird had been “playing games” with Lamarre-Condon’s emotions and that this contributed to his distress.
Her evidence represents her personal perception of the relationship at the time and does not establish the Crown’s allegations against the accused.
The prosecution case remains that Lamarre-Condon’s behaviour towards Baird became increasingly obsessive and that he later stalked him.
Lamarre-Condon denies the murder charges, and the allegations against him remain to be determined by the jury.
TRIAL CONTINUES
The court has been presented with extensive messages, social media activity and testimony concerning the relationship between Lamarre-Condon and Baird in the months before the deaths.
The evidence forms part of the prosecution’s attempt to establish the circumstances and alleged motive leading up to the events of February 19, 2024.
The defence continues to contest the prosecution case and has raised self-defence.
The trial is continuing in the NSW Supreme Court.