02-23-2024, 06:10 AM
Bizarre story from the last couple of days
Alleged killer was a celebrity chasing vlogger turned police officer
Alleged killer was a celebrity chasing vlogger turned police officer
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-23/nsw-sydney-search-warrant-balmain-two-missing-men/103501946 wrote:An off-duty police officer charged with two counts of murder over the suspicious disappearance of a Sydney couple has faced court for the first time.
Beau Lamarre-Condon showed no emotion as the charges of murder were read out in Waverley Local Court on Friday afternoon.
The 28-year-old has been in custody after handing himself in at Bondi Police station on Friday morning.
Detectives had been searching for Constable Lamarre-Condon in connection to the disappearance of former TV presenter Jesse Baird, 26, and his partner Luke Davies, 29.
The men were allegedly murdered "between 12:01am and 5:30pm on the 19th February 2024 at Paddington," according to court documents.
Constable Lamarre-Condon is due next to appear before court on April 23.
The missing couple were last seen at Mr Baird's Paddington home on Sunday evening.
Detective Superintendent Daniel Doherty said a projectile was found that they will allege had been discharged from a gun. That firearm was located in a safe at a police station.
Officers have also found a white van that was allegedly driven by Mr Lamarre-Condon to Grays Point in Sydney's south.
Superintendent Doherty said the van was allegedly used to transport the bodies of Mr Baird and Mr Davies, after it was hired on Monday evening.
Police say former colleagues of Mr Baird allegedly received text messages from his phone on Tuesday evening.
"Who had use of that phone is still to be established," Superintendent Doherty said.
Crime scene established in Newcastle
A crime scene has been set up around a suburban street in the Newcastle suburb of Lambton.
At least a dozen police cars, including forensic vans are stationed in and around Karoola Road, near a bowling club and public swimming pool.
Crime scene police markers are clustered in a rectangle-shaped area along the road, in what appears to be the width of a car.
Police on Friday linked Lambton to the alleged murders, saying they allege the accused's rental van was parked in the Lambton street on Thursday night.
Cadaver dogs have been sent to two neighbouring houses as officers comb the area for clues.
Lamarre-Condon hands himself in
Constable Lamarre-Condon presented himself to Bondi Police station shortly after 10:30am on Friday.
It comes after a late-night search warrant was executed on Thursday at Waite Avenue in Balmain, where a number of items were seized.
Police held "grave concerns" for the men after a "significant" amount of blood was found in Mr Baird's Brown Street home.
The search of the house was prompted after a worker putting rubbish into a skip-bin in Cronulla on Wednesday found a number of bloodied items "that appeared to be unusual," Detective Superintendent Jodi Radmore said.
On Thursday night police confirmed they were looking into a line of inquiry that "a third person may be able to assist with the investigation," NSW Police said in a statement.
"Detectives will continue to look at all past relationships and associations."
Mr Baird worked for Network 10 for more than seven years, including reporting stints with Studio 10 and presenting Totally Wild, while his boyfriend, Mr Davies, worked full-time as a Qantas flight attendant.
'Given us grave concerns'
The men have not been officially seen since they were last located at the eastern suburbs property, which is now a crime scene.
Witnesses told officers they heard "shouting" and a "verbal argument" early on Monday morning.
Forensic evidence from the Cronulla skip bin suggests an "incident more than likely occurred at the Paddington address".
"That has given us grave concerns for one, possibly both their safety," Superintendent Radmore said.
Police went to Mr Davies's home in Waterloo this week but were unable to locate him.
A wallet, phone, credit card, keys and three cars and other items from the Balmain home have been seized as part of the investigation.
Forensic testing underway
Georgia Garrels, who lives two doors down from the Paddington home, said the situation was quite "confronting".
"I didn't hear anything suspicious that the police have spoken to us about but there's been a lot of police on the streets and out the back in the laneways," she said.
"It's been a bit crazy.
"It's a little bit scary that it's only two doors down. It's a bit confronting to be honest. I just hope they're ok."
Ms Garrels said her housemates had spoken to Mr Baird on the street in the past and added that he "seemed really friendly".
Social media posts show Mr Davies and Mr Baird attending the Pink concert in Sydney on Sunday, as well as smiling in a photo on a wine tour in the Hunter Valley earlier in the month.
Forensic testing of the blood is underway and cannot currently be matched to any individual.