Prison visit audio tested in Sydney trial
A 31-year-old officer accused of double murder told a police-informant friend he bore full responsibility for involving him, according to a covert recording played to the court on Monday.
By Owen Turner ·
Sydney courts often rely on digital evidence to clarify conflicting accounts in criminal trials. On Monday, a recording of a prison visit became central to the double murder trial of Beau Lamarre-Condon.
The audio, captured in December 2025, was played to the jury at the New South Wales Supreme Court. Lamarre-Condon, 31, is accused of shooting Jesse Baird and Luke Davies in their Paddington home on 19 February 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one charge of aggravated break and enter.
During the recorded conversation, Lamarre-Condon apologized to his friend, whose name is suppressed. He stated, “I fully take accountability that you’re involved because of me now.” The friend, acting as a police informant, had previously testified that Lamarre-Condon described the killings as an “out-of-body experience” before joking about the confession.
Lamarre-Condon challenged his friend’s memory regarding his motive. He claimed he acted in self-defense rather than killing Davies to eliminate a witness. He also argued that his entry into the property did not constitute a break and enter because Baird had provided him with a key. He described the act as trespass, citing common practice when returning to a former partner’s home to retrieve belongings.
The officer explained he avoided knocking on the door to prevent an apprehended violence order but called out hello upon entering. He told the friend that if he had planned the attack, he would have been “cool, calm, collected” and would have used a different firearm. He noted he could have purchased another gun for $10,000, implying the police weapon was an improvised choice.
Lamarre-Condon also disclosed that he tested the volume of his gunshots at Royal National Park in early 2024. He stated he planned to return to the location to take his own life and was suffering from suicidality due to work trauma. The friend threatened to end the visit multiple times, questioning the truthfulness of the officer’s account.
The trial is presided over by Justice Natalie Adams. The next phase of proceedings will continue with further witness testimony.
Source: The Guardian
