Lamarre-Condon states friend directed body disposal in double murder trial

Beau Lamarre-Condon told a Sydney jury on Tuesday that a friend encouraged him to dispose of two bodies instead of reporting the deaths to police. The 31-year-old former police officer is on trial for the fatal shooting of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. Prosecutors have read his written statement into the record, which directly contradicts previous testimony from his companion.

Lamarre-Condon claims he wanted to drive straight to a police station after picking up the friend, who is known to the court as Elizabeth Kennedy. He alleges Kennedy told him, “No, no, you can’t. They won’t believe you.” The statement says she referenced a Taylor Swift song titled “No Body, No Crime” and insisted they get rid of the bodies immediately. Lamarre-Condon said he warned Kennedy she could face charges as an accessory to murder but she agreed to help.

According to the statement, Kennedy assisted in carrying the bodies to a farm in Bungonia. Lamarre-Condon alleged she helped pour concrete into bags to make them sink in a dam. He claimed she used his pocketknife to cut holes in a surfboard cover when a bag would not sink, which he says caused knife wounds to Luke Davies’s leg. He described her as a “willing participant” who laughed during the drive and played the song on her phone.

These claims conflict with Kennedy’s evidence given last week. She told the court she thought she and Lamarre-Condon were going out for lunch. She denied knowing about the bodies, stating, “I didn’t know anything.” Kennedy said she waited at a gate while Lamarre-Condon drove out of sight. She also claimed Lamarre-Condon, not she, played the song in the car and denied that she helped sink the bodies.

The jury also heard a recording of a phone call Lamarre-Condon made to a police assistance line on 23 February 2024. He reported a psychological injury and described suffering from anxiety and symptoms of schizophrenia. He stated he had been exposed to trauma and bullying during his time in the police force. He asked the operator to delete the call and noted that detectives were already aware he was being driven to a central station.

Lamarre-Condon surrendered to police at 10.37am on that date. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one count of aggravated break and enter. His legal team argues the shooting was an accident and that he acted in self-defense. The trial continues before Justice Natalie Adams.