On Tuesday, February 27, 2024, Australian law enforcement found the remains of Jesse Baird, 26, an ex-television reporter, and Luke Davies, 29, a flight attendant, hidden in surfboard bags beneath rocks and debris. The discovery took place on a secluded estate in Bungonia, New South Wales, approximately 124 miles southwest of Sydney.
The search concluded around a week after February 19, the last day the couple was seen in Baird’s Sydney residence. Their disappearance sparked a countrywide search and elicited widespread worry from communities across Australia. The situation took an unexpected twist when New South Wales Senior Constable Beaumont Lamarre-Condon, 28, was charged with their murders.
Lamarre-Condon, allegedly a former romantic partner of Baird, is accused of using his police-issued weapon to carry out the murders at Baird’s home before hiding their bodies.
A close friend of Jesse Baird refuted claims that Lamarre-Condon and the former Studio 10 field reporter had been in a romantic relationship. “Jesse had a brief encounter with Beau. He was never his ex-boyfriend,” TV producer Isaac Muller shared on the ABC’s 7.30 program. “There was no romantic connection between them.”
Corey-Dean Thorpe, Baird’s partner for five years and a close friend, also denied rumors of a romantic relationship between him and Lamarre-Condon.
In November last year, Thorpe assisted Baird in drafting a message to Lamarre-Condon, stating that he had overstepped the boundaries of their friendship and it would be best if they stopped seeing each other. The message concluded with a request not to be contacted in the future.
The location of the bodies was disclosed to the authorities following Lamarre-Condon’s choice to cooperate with investigators, after initially resisting. His cooperation followed legal advice while in custody.
Critical evidence was found at Baird’s home, including bloodstains, a bullet, and a used cartridge, matching the suspect’s weapon, solidifying his connection to the crime. The discovery of the couple’s blood-soaked possessions in a garbage bin in Cronulla, a Sydney suburb, earlier in the investigation had already heightened concerns for their safety.
Prior to his police career, Lamarre-Condon had a reputation for pursuing celebrities and blogging about them. Photos depict him with a range of stars, including Ben Stiller, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, and Taylor Swift.
In 2020, an incident of him excessively using a Taser on an indigenous man became public when the video was shared online. He publicly announced his sexual orientation in 2014 by tossing a letter on stage at a Lady Gaga concert, which she read to the audience, a moment his sister witnessed.
This case has deeply affected the LGBTQ community in Australia. The fact that a serving police officer is the prime suspect has sparked public discussion and worry, particularly about firearm accessibility and community safety.
Organizers of Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras have asked the police to refrain from participating in the upcoming Saturday’s parade, a significant city celebration. They emphasized the need for a ‘space to mourn’ the deceased couple, underlining the deep impact on LGBTQ communities throughout Australia.
Karen Webb, the chief of the state’s police, noted that officers have been part of the Mardi Gras celebrations for twenty years. “It would be unfortunate if we were excluded this year due to the actions of one individual, unrelated to gay hate,” Webb stated. She added, “Exclusion would significantly damage our organization.”
This tragic event has sparked conversation about the relationship between the police force and the LGBTQ community. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recognized the community’s sorrow and the improvements in police-community relations since the Mardi Gras parade’s inception in 1978.
Lamarre-Condon is scheduled to appear in court on April 23 regarding the murder charges.
