Lamarre-Condon trial hears triple-zero call made on morning of alleged murders

The NSW Supreme Court on Friday played a triple-zero call made from Luke Davies' phone on the morning he and his partner Jesse Baird were allegedly murdered at Baird's Paddington home. The call was made at 9.50am on 19 February 2024, according to Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC, and captured movement before a muffled voice said 'fuck off' and the line dropped. A callback went straight to voicemail with Davies' greeting, and Davies' family cried in court as the audio was played. Police were sent to patrol the area but could not pinpoint the exact address where the call originated.

Earlier, NSW police investigator Ben Higginson testified about working with the accused, former officer Beau Lamarre-Condon, at a pro-Palestine protest on 18 February 2024, the day before the alleged killings. Higginson told the court he described having a 'bit of a rough time' investigating the October 2023 murder of 21-year-old water polo coach Lilie James, who was killed by Paul Thijssen. He became emotional discussing the case, noting it occurred at his old school, but said Lamarre-Condon seemed 'blase' and remarked that Thijssen was 'stupid' for acting on CCTV. Lamarre-Condon also asked whether Thijssen would have 'gotten away with it' had he not killed himself, the court heard.

Higginson said he brought up the 2007 death of Matthew Leveson, referencing CCTV of Leveson's partner buying a tarp at Bunnings before burying him in a national park. The two officers also discussed how cash is harder to trace than bank cards and what detectives examine in suspicious death cases, the court was told. When Lamarre-Condon asked about phones, Higginson said he replied that leaving a phone at home during a murder would still place it in the vicinity of the person's residence.

Baird's housemate, known in court under the pseudonym Sarah King, testified about returning home from work on the night of the alleged murders. Another housemate had sent her a photo of red liquid, which she believed was rusted water, beneath surfboard bags and a tarp in the back courtyard. King later inspected the bags, took a photo and poked one, telling the prosecution it 'just sounded like a tarp'. The bodies of Davies and Baird were found days later in two surfboard covers near the fence line of a monastery in Bungonia.

In his opening statement, defence lawyer John Stratton SC told the jury that Baird and Davies were fatally shot in 'self-defence' after struggles with the policeman, and that Lamarre-Condon immediately began cleaning the scene because he 'panicked'. CCTV played on Thursday showed Lamarre-Condon buying a second surfboard bag at a Decathlon in Miranda Westfield, walking to the surfboard section, picking up a cover and paying in cash. Lamarre-Condon, 31, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one charge of aggravated break and enter. The trial before Justice Natalie Adams continues.