Friend Recalls Cold Van Journey in Lamarre-Condon Trial, Wales 2026

Key Points

• Beau Lamarre-Condon, 31, who was a former NSW senior constable, has pleaded not guilty to the murders of Jesse Baird, 26, and Luke Davies, 29, in February 2024.
• A childhood friend of his who testified under the pseudonym Elizabeth Kennedy spoke about a two-hour van ride on 21 February 2024, which took place two days after the murders.
• According to her, the rented white van was “fresh and lemony”, there was a flat blue tarp in its back, however, later on, it became really cold, since the windows were down and the air-conditioning worked in full capacity.
• She noted that Mr. Lamarre-Condon claimed that they had rented the van to move furniture although at that time he lived with his mother in Balmain.
• It is alleged by the Crown that the victims’ bodies were transported in this van and Mr. Lamarre-Condon attempted to dispose of them at Cella Farm in Bungonia using gym weights and quick-setting concrete.
• She testified that he asked her to purchase an angle grinder and a padlock at Bunnings in Goulburn; according to the prosecutors, he used the angle grinder to cut a gate lock at the farm.

Wales (Wales Times) October 20, 2026 — A childhood friend of former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon has told a New South Wales Supreme Court jury about a “freezing” two-hour drive in a hired van, during which she says she did not know that the bodies of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies were allegedly in the back.

As reported by Tom Wark of AAP and the Riverine Herald, Ms Kennedy, known in court by the pseudonym Elizabeth Kennedy, was picked up by Mr Lamarre-Condon in a white van on 21 February 2024, two days after the alleged murders. She told the jury that she initially saw nothing unusual: “I could see a blue tarp in the back … it was just flat,” and the vehicle had “a fresh lemony smell … like you’d expect from a rental car.”

What Did the Friend Recall About the Van Journey?

Ms Kennedy said Mr Lamarre-Condon told her he had hired the van to move furniture to an inner-city apartment, although the court heard he was still living with his mother in Balmain. She said the situation changed during the long drive towards the NSW Southern Highlands.

“It got really cold … the windows remained down … the air-conditioning was on full (the whole time),” she told the court, according to AAP. She added that Mr Lamarre-Condon “wouldn’t really let me get a word in” and changed the subject whenever she asked how much longer the journey would take.

The Crown alleges that the van was used to transport the bodies of Mr Baird and Mr Davies after they were killed at Mr Baird’s Paddington terrace in Sydney. Mr Lamarre-Condon denies murdering either man and maintains that both deaths occurred in self-defence.

What Alleged Statements Were Made During the Drive?

Ms Kennedy said the accused made several remarks that stayed with her. She told the court that he asked about medication for mental-health issues and, after nearly hitting a bird while driving, said: “You know I’d never hurt an animal, right?”

AAP reported that when the pair reached Goulburn, Mr Lamarre-Condon allegedly asked Ms Kennedy to buy him an angle grinder and a padlock from Bunnings. Prosecutors allege that the angle grinder was later used to cut the lock on a gate at Cella Farm at Bungonia.

Ms Kennedy said she was left by the gate while Mr Lamarre-Condon drove onto the property. The Crown alleges that he then attempted to dispose of the men’s bodies in a dam using gym weights and quick-setting concrete.

What Other Evidence Was Given About Alleged Stalking?

The friend’s evidence also addressed what she described as paranoid, jealous and obsessive conduct before the alleged killings. As reported by the ABC, Ms Kennedy said Mr Lamarre-Condon reconnected with her after 2019 and encouraged her to use the encrypted messaging app Signal.

She told the jury that he sent her images of celebrities and claimed to be friends with them, although she believed he was “just stalking them”. She said he first mentioned Mr Baird in early 2023, sending images of the Channel 10 presenter’s work and saying he was “infatuated” with him.

According to the ABC’s report of her evidence, Ms Kennedy alleged that Mr Lamarre-Condon said he had broken into Mr Baird’s home after copying a spare key, entered while Mr Baird slept, took his phone and altered settings. She alleged that he deleted contacts and alarms, removed photographs of Mr Baird with other men, activated Snapchat location services and returned the phone.

“He mentioned that he turned Jesse’s location on so he could monitor him,”

Ms Kennedy said, according to the ABC. She also alleged that he showed her Mr Baird’s live location through Snapchat while at her home.

What Did the Court Hear About Alleged Surveillance?

Ms Kennedy told the jury that Mr Lamarre-Condon appeared “very enthusiastic” and “very pleased with himself” when discussing the alleged break-in. She alleged that he also “unmuted” his Instagram stories so Mr Baird would see posts about a planned trip to Europe.

She said that after the trip, Mr Baird came up repeatedly in conversations. She alleged that Mr Lamarre-Condon knew which supermarket Mr Baird used and at what time, and when he left the gym, as he tried to “run into” him.

The ABC reported that Ms Kennedy also described a second alleged break-in, during which Mr Baird woke after a charging cord fell. She alleged that Mr Lamarre-Condon took Mr Baird’s wallet to make the incident appear to be a robbery. Mr Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty to an aggravated break-and-enter charge.

What Allegations Were Made About Photos and Dating Profiles?

Ms Kennedy alleged that Mr Lamarre-Condon sent her photographs, through Signal, of Mr Baird engaged in sexual activity with another man. She said the photographs had been taken from outside the bedroom window and that he had not entered the house.

She also alleged that he created fake profiles of Mr Baird on dating applications including Tinder and Grindr, and sometimes directed people from Grindr to Mr Baird’s home. When Crown Prosecutor Caitlin Diggin asked how he knew a man was travelling to Mr Baird’s house, Ms Kennedy replied:

“He watched him … he was parked across the street.”

The court also heard that Ms Kennedy believed Mr Lamarre-Condon and Mr Baird appeared to be an “official” couple in early 2023, before their first separation. She alleged that he used his pet bulldog, Ivy, as “bait” because Mr Baird liked the dog.

What Does the Defence Say?

Mr Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one count of aggravated break and enter. AAP reported that he says Mr Baird and Mr Davies were killed in self-defence at Mr Baird’s Sydney terrace, and that his multi-day efforts to dispose of their bodies showed panic rather than an intention to kill.

The ABC reported that the defence contends the two men died during separate altercations involving a firearm. The prosecution case, by contrast, alleges that Mr Baird was shot twice in the kitchen and Mr Davies was shot through a bedroom door while attempting to call emergency services.

What Other Evidence Has the Jury Seen?

Earlier on Tuesday, the jury viewed CCTV footage said to show Mr Lamarre-Condon’s movements on 21 February 2024. The footage reportedly showed him driving his Tesla, a rented Mazda and the hired van, withdrawing cash from ATMs, returning home and visiting Bunnings.

The ABC reported that Bunnings receipts showed purchases including a heavy-duty tarpaulin, high-visibility shirt, shovel, coveralls, gloves and garbage bags. Other alleged purchases included a wheelbarrow, six bags of quick-setting concrete and a chainsaw, while two stand-up paddleboard bags and two weights were bought at Decathlon.

The court was also told that Mr Lamarre-Condon took an Uber to St Vincent’s Hospital early that morning for a minor procedure.

Background of the Development

Jesse Baird, a former Channel 10 presenter, and Luke Davies, a Qantas flight attendant, were found dead eight days after they were allegedly killed in February 2024. Their remains were discovered in surfboard bags near a monastery at Bungonia, south of Sydney.

Mr Lamarre-Condon, a former NSW Police senior constable, is accused of using his service weapon to shoot the couple at Mr Baird’s Paddington home. He has pleaded not guilty, and his trial began in the NSW Supreme Court in September 2026.

The Crown alleges that he developed a possessive obsession with Mr Baird after their brief and sometimes casual relationship ended in November 2023. Prosecutors allege that he stalked Mr Baird before the deaths and later attempted to dispose of the bodies at a rural property.

Prediction: How This Development Can Affect Readers

For readers following the case, this evidence may sharpen attention on the alleged sequence of events after the deaths, particularly the claimed van journey, the purchases in Goulburn and the alleged attempt to dispose of the bodies. It may also increase public scrutiny of how allegations of stalking, coercive behaviour and technology-enabled surveillance are assessed in criminal trials.

For communities affected by domestic, family or intimate-partner violence, the testimony may reinforce the importance of documenting concerning behaviour and seeking support early. In Australia, 1800RESPECT can be contacted on 1800 737 732, Lifeline on 13 11 14, and the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.

For legal observers, the competing narratives self-defence versus premeditated murder will likely remain central as the jury weighs the friend’s account alongside CCTV, forensic and ballistics evidence. The outcome will depend on whether the jury finds the prosecution has proved the murder charges beyond reasonable doubt.