Families granted special privilege for Beau Lamarre-Condon court hearing

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Family members of Luke Davies, allegedly murdered by former NSW Police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon, have been granted special access to watch the court hearing for their son’s murder.

In February this year, Luke Davies, a former Qantas flight attendant, and his partner, former TV presenter and AFL umpire Jesse Baird, went missing in a case that shook the nation.

Their sudden disappearance triggered a 3-day manhunt for Lamarre-Condon before he turned himself into police.

However, in the days after former police officer handed himself in, NSW Police allege that Lamarre-Condon refused to say where the bodies of the two men had been dumped.

After a fruitless search in a rural property with a dam outside Bungonia near Goulburn, Lamarre-Condon informed detectives that the bodies of Baird and Davies were inside surfboard bags at property near Bungonia.

NSW Police also allege that Lamarre-Condon shot the couple with a police-issued firearm in Baird’s Paddington home on February 19 because he was “obsessed” with Baird, and Davies was “collateral damage”.

Lamarre-Condon was charged with two counts of murder and has remained in custody ever since.

As proceedings for the criminal trial began today, Tuesday, June 18, Magistrate Daniel Covington granted permission for Davies’ Queensland-based family to watch the hearing online. This is not usually allowed at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court.

Jesse Baird’s family, who live in Victoria, did not watch the hearing.

Lamarre-Condon did not attend the hearing and was represented by his lawyer John Walford.

Walford has previously said that Lamarre-Condon, who has yet to enter a plea, may rely on mental health grounds and plans to sue NSW Police.

Lamarre-Condon will appear by audiovisual link when the matter returns to court on August 13.