Triple-zero call made from Jesse Baird’s phone after shots heard, say police

Police say a triple-zero call was made from Jesse Baird’s phone four minutes after Beau Lamarre-Condon’s police-issued gun was fired, allegedly killing Baird and his partner Luke Davies.

As police divers search for the couple’s bodies at a Southern Tablelands property, Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said the phone call last Monday disconnected before anything was said or heard. Gunshots were heard from the property, but no police report was made.

When asked if the call was made by Baird before he died, Hudson said police had not determined who made the call.

“I’d rather investigate than speculate,” he said in a wide-ranging press conference, which outlined the allegations police are making against Lamarre-Condon. “It will form part of the ongoing investigation.”

Police allege that later on Monday Lamarre-Condon hired a white van from Sydney Airport. The next day, Hudson alleged, the police officer made a “partial admission” to an acquaintance that he had been involved in the death of two people.

Police believe that on Wednesday, the same day Baird and Davies’ bloodied clothes were found in a skip bin in Cronulla, Lamarre-Condon drove to Bungonia with a female friend in the white van, potentially transporting the couple’s bodies.

Police vehicles from the public order and riot squad arrive at Bungonia.Credit: Nick Moir

Police allege the pair purchased an angle grinder and a new padlock at a hardware store before travelling to the Bungonia property, which police believe Lamarre-Condon was familiar with because of a prior relationship.

The woman has told police she was not aware of his alleged crimes or what he was doing on the property.

There is no suggestion the woman is involved in any wrongdoing and police said she has co-operated fully with their investigation.

After using the angle grinder to cut the lock on the gate to the property, police believe the female friend was left at the gate while Lamarre-Condon went into the property for around half an hour. The new padlock was then used to lock the gate after he returned.

The two then drove back to Sydney, police said.

“At 11pm that evening, weights were purchased from a department store by the accused and it is believed that the accused returned to that property,” Hudson said.

At 4.30am on Thursday, Lamarre-Condon was seen leaving the Bungonia area again, Hudson said.

He then travelled to the city again, before driving the van to an acquaintance in Newcastle on Thursday, where he asked for a hose to clean the vehicle.

The van was later dumped at a family home in Grays Point before Lamarre-Condon turned himself in to Bondi Police Station.

Beau Lamarre-Condon, Jesse Baird and Luke Davies and the Paddington home police have searched again in regards their double murder investigation.Credit: Instagram/Sydney Morning Herald

Hudson said police have concerns the bodies may have been moved from the Bungonia property and disposed of at a different location during a gap in the timeline.

Lamarre-Condon is not disclosing the location of the search, Hudson said.

“It is our number one priority at this moment to try and locate Jesse and Luke to give the family some solace and be able to come to terms with what’s occurred,” Hudson said.

About 9.30am, police made their way down a dirt road onto the property called “Cella Farm”, 33 kilometres south of Goulburn, where two dark watered dams are located. Divers waded through the water as other officers used rakes to dig up parts of the land.

Owners of the properties that police are searching were unaware of any activity. Police have cordoned off the road with tape that leads to the properties of interest.

Riot squad police are involved in the search as well as homicide squad detectives.

Michael Fitzgerald, NSW Assistant Commissioner to the State Crime Command, is expected to oversee operations for the day.

Lamarre-Condon’s former relationship with Baird is a key part of the investigation into the deaths, which NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb described as an alleged “crime of passion”.

A Google maps view of the search area off Hazelton Road at Bungonia.Credit: Google maps

“We believe the accused had attended Jesse’s home address. We believe that he had utilised a key to enter those premises. We believe that he took possession of Jesse’s phone and deleted contacts and messages out of that phone before leaving the premises,” Hudson said. He did not say when this incident occurred.

Lamarre-Condon’s gun was signed out of Miranda Police Station on Thursday, February 16, for the purposes of his work on a “user pays” police operation.

These events, usually the monitoring of protests, allow officers to pick up extra shifts and fees are paid by organisations.

The gun was later stored at Balmain Police Station after the alleged murder, before being later returned to Miranda.

One of the acquaintances Lamarre-Condon spoke to after the alleged murder was a former police officer, Hudson has alleged.

Police also allege Lamarre-Condon sent messages from Baird’s phone after the alleged murder, including to various friends telling them he intended to move to Western Australia and to sell his furniture.

Michael Fitzgerald, NSW Assistant Commissioner to the State Crime Command, on Monday morning drove into the properties on Hazelton Road. He is expected to oversee operations for the day.

About 9.30am, a row of police made their way down a dirt road onto a property called “Cella Farm”, where two dark-watered dams are located.

While divers waded through the dams, other police officers used rakes to dig up parts of the land.

Owners of the properties that police are searching were unaware of any activity. Police cordoned off the road with tape that leads to the properties of interest.

Riot squad police are involved in the search as well as homicide squad detectives.

Tributes have flowed for the couple, while a friend of Davies set up a fundraising page to raise money for his family and funeral expenses.

The fundraiser has passed $50,000 in donations, with more than 700 people around the world chipping in.

The Project’s Sarah Harris also paid tribute to Baird, her former Studio 10 colleague, telling viewers it had been “a really hard week” for network staff.

“It’s hard to even talk about Jesse in the past tense … he was more than just a colleague, he was our friend,” Harris said through tears.

“He had this big beautiful smile; he was so good on air as well – at 26 an absolute star.”

Harris said 2024 was “supposed to be his year” with a new job and his new partner, Davies, who was “the one”.

“To Jesse’s family – he spoke about you often and with so much love and we are just all so, so sorry.”