Photo via The Sydney Morning Herald

Beau Lamarre-Condon trial live updates: Former NSW police officer’s trial begins over alleged murder of Paddington couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies

Read the original at The Sydney Morning Herald ↗
Cite

Gorrey, M., Whitbourn, M., & Duffin, P. (2026, September 21). Beau Lamarre-Condon trial live updates: Former NSW police officer’s trial begins over alleged murder of Paddington couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/beau-lamarre-condon-trial-live-updates-former-nsw-police-officer-s-trial-begins-over-alleged-murder-of-paddington-couple-jesse-baird-and-luke-davies-20260921-p60z2x.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

The Sydney Morning Herald · collected 2026-09-21 · by Megan Gorrey, Michaela Whitbourn, Perry Duffin

Quick Summary

The trial of former New South Wales police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon has begun in Sydney's Supreme Court for his alleged murder of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies in February 2024. Lamarre-Condon also faces charges of aggravated break and enter and theft from Baird’s home earlier that year. Justice Natalie Adams is overseeing the case, which is expected to last up to 12 weeks with fifteen jurors selected for the trial. The Crown prosecutor will deliver an opening address followed by the defense.
Written by AI on 2026-09-21, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

The trial of former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon began in Sydney's Supreme Court on September 20, 2026, over the alleged murders of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. Lamarre-Condon, 31, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of domestic violence-related murder and one count of aggravated break and enter. Prosecutors allege that Lamarre-Condon used his police-issued firearm to shoot the couple inside Baird's home in Paddington on February 19, 2024. The victims' bodies were later found hidden in surfboard bags about 200km away. Text messages from Baird’s phone sent hours after the alleged murders confused housemates into thinking he was still alive and planning to move out of the home the following day. The trial is expected to last three months, with a jury of 15 members selected to hear the case. Witnesses have testified about discoveries made at the crime scene before it was officially declared so by authorities.

Written for “Beau Lamarre-Condon Double Murder Trial” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 28 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Beau Lamarre-Condon Double Murder Trial
Crime & Law · 29 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Murder accused former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon trial begins Same event
ABC News (AU)
Hedges 0 of 3 claims Outlet record 68/100
Beau Lamarre-Condon's trial begins over Jesse Baird and Luke Davies's alleged murders in Sydney terrace Same event
Daily Mail
Hedges 0 of 5 claims Outlet record 68/100
Alleged double murderer Lamarre-Condon acted in self-defence, court told Same event
The Sydney Morning Herald
Hedges 15 of 94 claims Outlet record 61/100
Beau Lamarre-Condon developed ‘obsession’ with Jesse Baird before fatal double shooting, court hears Same event
The Guardian
Hedges 1 of 16 claims Outlet record 66/100
Sydney policeman allegedly disguised himself as Uber Eats rider before murders Same event
BBC News
Hedges 1 of 21 claims Outlet record 68/100
Ex-cop accused of double murder allegedly dressed as Uber Eats rider, court hears Same event
The Sydney Morning Herald
Hedges 7 of 53 claims Outlet record 61/100
Beau Lamarre-Condon double murder trial begins Same event
The Sydney Morning Herald
Hedges 0 of 2 claims Outlet record 61/100
Former cop Beau Lamarre-Condon argues self-defence in double murder trial citing struggle over gun Same event
The Guardian
Hedges 4 of 32 claims Outlet record 66/100
Beau Lamarre-Condon trial live updates: Opening addresses continue in former NSW police officer’s double murder trial Same event
The Sydney Morning Herald
Hedges 0 of 10 claims Outlet record 61/100
Jesse Baird ‘petrified’ of Beau Lamarre-Condon and kept repeating ‘he has a gun’, court hears Same event
The Guardian
Hedges 1 of 25 claims Outlet record 66/100
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
8
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 8 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
61/100
The Sydney Morning Herald's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
29
Crime & Law
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-21 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

The Sydney Morning Herald · 5658 article(s) · 15 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 15 correction(s)
2026-10-30
Notorious paedophile charged with additional 200 offences against 23 children
2026-10-29
‘Just try me’: The text messages that sparked News24’s on-air clash
2026-10-28
Opposition’s Long Bay idea not the negative gear portrayed by Labor
2026-10-24
Will I still have to pay the 30% tax if only sell a few shares?
2026-10-18
How a beanie exposed a man who burnt his ex’s home and killed her cats
2026-10-12
Prisons boss won’t say who asked for human rights law carve-out
2026-10-09
Sam Wood held in high-security prison after failed bid for freedom
2026-10-09
Sam Wood moved to correctional centre following failed bail application
2026-10-09
P-plater accused of horror Newcastle car crash bailed to family home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs
2026-10-08
Snowtown murderer seen leaving correctional facility
2026-10-08
Oliver Curtis’ transformation from jailbird to corporate kingpin has gone awry
2026-10-03
Tennessee’s prisons chief to resign after failed execution of Christa Pike
2026-09-28
Inside the prison left abandoned for years – now set to reopen as DV offenders weigh on system
2026-09-19
What will happen to your most cherished possessions when you die? You don’t want to know
2026-09-18
What will happen to your most cherished possessions when you die? You don’t want to know

Who wrote this

Megan Gorrey
14 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 The six teams, announced on Tuesday after an international design competition, provide Sydneysiders with a first glimpse of what they might expect of the revamped 77-hectare site.
2026-10-19 · assertive framing · The architects fighting to design a ‘distinctly Sydney’ waterfront suburb
🔮 A long-awaited plan to build a new public swimming pool in Sydney’s south-west is a step closer, despite concerns the $62 million project could face further delays after the architecture firm that designed it collapsed.
2026-10-12 · assertive framing · Long-awaited Sydney pool faces uncertainty as architecture firm collapses
🔮 Plans to replace an older unit block with an $85 million luxury apartment complex on Oxford Street in Paddington have been approved by the Minns government despite concerns from hundreds of residents, the local MP and Woollahra Council that it would result in fewer relatively affordable homes.
2026-10-05 · assertive framing · Forty-four new homes, 332 objections: Why older units will be razed for luxury Paddington apartments
🔮 Plans to replace an older unit block with an $85 million luxury apartment complex on Oxford Street in Paddington have been approved by the Minns government despite concerns from hundreds of residents, the local MP and Woollahra Council that it would result in fewer relatively affordable homes.
2026-10-05 · assertive framing · Fourty-four new homes, 332 objections: Why older units will be razed for luxury Paddington apartments
🔮 Samarasinghe was refused bail and will face court on Sunday.
2026-10-03 · assertive framing · P-plater in horror Newcastle Knights car crash previously lost his licence
🔮 Accused double-murderer Beau Lamarre-Condon allegedly asked a friend if he would fit inside a surfboard bag as he planned the murder of a former romantic partner, a Sydney court has heard.
2026-09-24 · assertive framing · CCTV and the $85 surfboard cover: Video played in ex-cop’s murder trial
🔮 Thorpe agreed Baird had told him the accused would take videos and photos of him and post them on Instagram to give the impression they were in a relationship while hiding the posts from Baird.
2026-09-23 · assertive framing · Alleged victim of ex-cop was ‘petrified’ before his death, court told
🔮 The accused had his police-issued pistol with him because “his training was that he was not allowed to leave a gun unminded in a car where it might be stolen”, the defence barrister said.
2026-09-22 · assertive framing · Alleged double murderer Lamarre-Condon acted in self-defence, court told
🔮 A 15-person jury was empanelled on Monday for the trial, which is expected to run for up to 12 weeks.
2026-09-22 · assertive framing · Beau Lamarre-Condon trial live updates: Opening addresses continue in former NSW police officer’s double murder trial
🔮 The Crown foreshadowed the jury would hear evidence that Lamarre-Condon set his alarm for 4.30am on February 19, 2024, and messaged a friend at 4.49am: “I’ll try to call you tonight and update you X.
2026-09-21 · assertive framing · Ex-cop accused of double murder allegedly dressed as Uber Eats rider, court hears
Also by Megan Gorrey
The architects fighting to design a ‘distinctly Sydney’ waterfront suburb
2026-10-19 · The Sydney Morning Herald
Long-awaited Sydney pool faces uncertainty as architecture firm collapses
2026-10-12 · The Sydney Morning Herald
Forty-four new homes, 332 objections: Why older units will be razed for luxury Paddington apartments
2026-10-05 · The Sydney Morning Herald
Fourty-four new homes, 332 objections: Why older units will be razed for luxury Paddington apartments
2026-10-05 · The Sydney Morning Herald
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 14 articles by Megan Gorrey →
Michaela Whitbourn
30 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 Freund had lodged a complaint against Allen with the watchdog in May this year alleging he bullied her over an 18-month period, according to documents filed by her lawyers in court.
2026-10-30 · assertive framing · Top judge’s inflammatory WhatsApp message about deputy revealed amid bitter fight
🔮 Beau Lamarre-Condon texted a friend a day before he allegedly murdered Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies suggesting that he may not “get to talk to you again”, a court has heard.
2026-10-29 · assertive framing · ‘If I don’t get to talk to you again’: Lamarre-Condon’s texts before alleged murders revealed
🔮 “I then instructed my solicitors to make contact with the DPP and officer in charge to inform them that I’m willing to assist with a statement regarding Elizabeth’s involvement in the matter.
2026-10-27 · assertive framing · Lamarre-Condon said he wanted to ‘do the right thing’ for families of dead couple, court told
🔮 Lamarre-Condon said the second person “wasn’t even meant to be shot” but he couldn’t leave any witnesses, the man said.
2026-10-23 · assertive framing · ‘Pew, pew’: Lamarre-Condon allegedly confessed to friend about double murder
🔮 I was running a tad late or I would have loved to chat for longer.
2026-10-19 · assertive framing · ‘That’s so savage’: Accused killer allegedly broke into TV presenter’s home hours after rejection
🔮 “My kids needed stuff for school and I couldn’t afford it.”
2026-10-17 · assertive framing · Kelly’s abusive ex left her with thousands in debt. There was a way out
🔮 She said they subsequently spoke on the phone and he “asked me if I could do him a favour”.
2026-10-15 · assertive framing · Lamarre-Condon’s celebrity-chasing friend tells trial about ‘concerning’ phone request
🔮 He said that “the original shot would have been discharged at a very similar distance” of between five and ten centimetres from the door.
2026-10-14 · assertive framing · Lamarre-Condon jury shown video of gunshot through bedroom door
🔮 Moon said there was one officer who had the same type of cartridge, meaning it was “possibly a cartridge that may have been distributed to NSW Police at some time”.
2026-10-09 · assertive framing · Images reveal where bodies of Lamarre-Condon’s alleged victims were found
🔮 The Crown has foreshadowed that the court will hear evidence that Lamarre-Condon asked the friend who accompanied him on the first shopping trip whether he would fit inside the surfboard bag.
2026-10-08 · assertive framing · Lamarre-Condon captured on CCTV after alleged double murder
Also by Michaela Whitbourn
Top judge’s inflammatory WhatsApp message about deputy revealed amid bitter fight
2026-10-30 · The Sydney Morning Herald
‘If I don’t get to talk to you again’: Lamarre-Condon’s texts before alleged murders revealed
2026-10-29 · The Sydney Morning Herald
Lamarre-Condon said he wanted to ‘do the right thing’ for families of dead couple, court told
2026-10-27 · The Sydney Morning Herald
‘Pew, pew’: Lamarre-Condon allegedly confessed to friend about double murder
2026-10-23 · The Sydney Morning Herald
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 30 articles by Michaela Whitbourn →
Perry Duffin
13 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 Now, decades later, a black cable tie around the dead woman’s toes and Govendir’s distinctive body odour could see the elderly widower convicted of murder.
2026-10-26 · assertive framing · Body odour helped identify man accused of killing wife, court told
🔮 Police are now searching for the gunmen and are expected to front the media on Sunday.
2026-10-25 · assertive framing · Manhunt under way after shots fired into south-west Sydney home with seven children inside
🔮 He would then hold a knife to his victims and force them into alleyways.
2026-10-19 · assertive framing · ‘I committed heinous crimes’: Moore Park rapist’s message to victims revealed
🔮 Prosecutors arguing to keep Thackray behind bars on Monday said there would be a “catastrophic” outcome if he was released and breached bail conditions imposed.
2026-10-19 · assertive framing · Sydney man allegedly discussed plans for childcare mass shooting with AI chatbot
🔮 “Australians take too many illicit drugs, and it is absurd how much money users are willing to pay for them,” Barrett said.
2026-10-05 · assertive framing · How Australia’s underworld is weaponising AI for drug imports
🔮 The girl was aware that material shared with Johansson, including her identity, could be used against her if she refused, according to the court judgement.
2026-09-27 · assertive framing · Swedish extremism network member jailed for abuse of Australian girl
🔮 The accused had his police-issued pistol with him because “his training was that he was not allowed to leave a gun unminded in a car where it might be stolen”, the defence barrister said.
2026-09-22 · assertive framing · Alleged double murderer Lamarre-Condon acted in self-defence, court told
🔮 A 15-person jury was empanelled on Monday for the trial, which is expected to run for up to 12 weeks.
2026-09-22 · assertive framing · Beau Lamarre-Condon trial live updates: Opening addresses continue in former NSW police officer’s double murder trial
🔮 The Crown foreshadowed the jury would hear evidence that Lamarre-Condon set his alarm for 4.30am on February 19, 2024, and messaged a friend at 4.49am: “I’ll try to call you tonight and update you X.
2026-09-21 · assertive framing · Ex-cop accused of double murder allegedly dressed as Uber Eats rider, court hears
🔮 The opening address by Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield, SC, is expected to start after 2pm and run for about two hours.
2026-09-21 · assertive framing · Beau Lamarre-Condon trial live updates: Former NSW police officer’s trial begins over alleged murder of Paddington couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies
Also by Perry Duffin
Body odour helped identify man accused of killing wife, court told
2026-10-26 · The Sydney Morning Herald
Manhunt under way after shots fired into south-west Sydney home with seven children inside
2026-10-25 · The Sydney Morning Herald
‘I committed heinous crimes’: Moore Park rapist’s message to victims revealed
2026-10-19 · The Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney man allegedly discussed plans for childcare mass shooting with AI chatbot
2026-10-19 · The Sydney Morning Herald
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 13 articles by Perry Duffin →

Topics

Crown NSW Sydney the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service the Supreme Court

Subjects

Baird PERSON · 3× Sydney GPE · 3× Adams PERSON · 1× Beau Lamarre-Condon’s PERSON · 1× Brett Hatfield PERSON · 1× Jesse Baird PERSON · 1× Luke Davies PERSON · 1× NSW GPE · 1× Natalie Adams PERSON · 1× the Supreme Court ORG · 1×

Narrative

The former NSW police officer has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder over the shooting deaths of Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies at Baird’s eastern suburbs home in February 2024.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-21
🔮 The opening address by Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield, SC, is expected to start after 2pm and run for about two hours.
2026-09-21 · The Sydney Morning Herald
Beau Lamarre-Condon trial live updates: Former NSW police officer’s trial begins over alleged murder of Paddington couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies · assertive framing

Claims (8 extracted, 0 hedged)

The former NSW police officer has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder over the shooting deaths of Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies at Baird’s eastern suburbs home in February 2024. asserted
officer → plead → February
He has also pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated break and enter of Baird’s home in August 2023 and stealing a mobile phone and wallet belonging to Baird. asserted
He → plead → Baird
Justice Natalie Adams is presiding over the trial in the historic King Street court complex in Sydney. asserted
Adams → preside → Sydney
Adams told the pool of potential jurors before the jury was selected that the trial was estimated to run for up to 12 weeks. asserted
trial → tell → weeks
Fifteen jurors were empanelled on Monday afternoon. asserted
jurors → empanel → afternoon
The opening address by Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield, SC, is expected to start after 2pm and run for about two hours. asserted
address → expect → hours
Defence barrister John Stratton, SC, will also deliver an opening. asserted
Stratton → deliver → opening
The judge told the jury she would deliver some introductory remarks after 1.45pm, followed by the Crown’s opening. asserted
she → tell → opening
💬Give feedback
🕘History 🎫Support
Terms · Privacy · beta v2.0.0
Articles to 31 Oct 2026