Ten months before he was allegedly killed, Jesse Baird said he was not in a relationship with Beau Lamarre-Condon.
"Beau and I see each other from time to time however we aren't 'seeing' each other or in a relationship," Mr Baird wrote in an Instagram message in April 2023.
Mr Lamarre-Condon, accused of his murder, had taken a photo of the exchange after going "through [Mr Baird's] phone" while staying over.
He forwarded the image to his colleague and friend, Senior Constable Nicole Harvell.
Beau Lamarre-Condon: Argh idk if I'm being stupid or not or I'm wasting my time
Ms Harvell replied to him in the morning.
Nicole Harvell: … he told him he's not seeing you. Well of course he's seeing you. That was a massive lie
Mr Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder, accused of shooting Mr Baird and his new boyfriend, Luke Davies, using a police pistol in February 2024.
The former police officer's lawyers have indicated an argument of self-defence, telling jurors that separate struggles inside Mr Baird's Paddington home in Sydney resulted in two tragic deaths.
The Crown said Mr Lamarre-Condon developed an "obsessive and jealous infatuation" with Mr Baird after the end of a somewhat casual romance, and had allegedly stalked him in the months prior.
Mr Lamarre-Condon's lawyer said it was not disputed his client "did some stupid things, such as looking through the phone of Jesse Baird, deleting contacts of other men, and deleting text messages".
Ms Harvell is the latest of a number of witnesses whose communications with the defendant have been tendered as evidence.
They are being asked in court what he told them of his connection with Mr Baird at various points.
Mr Lamarre-Condon confided in Ms Harvell from March 2023 about what she dubbed the "Jesse saga".
His messages with her paint a picture of how the accused perceived the on-again-off-again relationship, his insecurities about Mr Baird seeing other people, and his online surveillance in the lead-up to the alleged double murder.
A 'semi white lie'
The jury has heard Mr Lamarre-Condon met Mr Baird in 2022, but there was a "disconnect" between what each saw as the nature of the relationship and where it was going.
Mr Baird regarded it as "somewhat casual", while the defendant was "infatuated", the prosecutor has said.
In March 2023, Ms Harvell and Mr Lamarre-Condon discussed how Mr Baird seeing another man left him feeling "triggered", and he was checking Mr Baird's Instagram followers.
In the weeks that followed, he described the pair going on dates, a getaway with a dog, and spending Easter together.
There were two apparent break-ups between the pair, according to the evidence so far; first in April 2023 and another later that year in November.
On April 17, Mr Lamarre-Condon addressed what he had recently seen on Mr Baird's phone.
Beau Lamarre-Condon: Ending it with him this arvo
Nicole Harvell: … Are you going to tell him about the messages you saw?
Beau Lamarre-Condon: … Yeah I'll tell him about the messages but I might tell a semi white lie and not say I went through his phone 😅
Ms Harvell told the court Mr Lamarre-Condon knew Mr Baird's phone passcode.
She said at that point, Mr Lamarre-Condon had spoken to her about it not being an exclusive relationship, and said he "came across to me as paranoid" about Mr Baird's interest in him.
Ms Harvell recalled being told it was the accused who ended the "so-called relationship", partially because he had seen an unfamiliar pair of underwear in Mr Baird's room.
She told the court he was initially "satisfied" with his decision, but later became "quite fixated".
Via text, Mr Lamarre-Condon questioned if Mr Baird had muted his Instagram stories to "get over me" and checked what he was listening to on Spotify in May.
From planned trip to 'over'
In October, Mr Lamarre-Condon announced Mr Baird would accompany him on a holiday.
Beau Lamarre-Condon: Ummm sooooo
Jesse is coming to Bali with me for NYE
Nicole Harvell: … But still not in a relationship?
Beau Lamarre-Condon: Well no, but I'm actually really happy with it rn.
Come November, a month out from the flight, Mr Lamarre-Condon said they were no longer seeing each other.
Nicole Harvell: Heard from Jease? …
Jesse*
Beau Lamarre-Condon: Yeah it's over
Nicole Harvell: … What!?
This second apparent break-up was attributed in court to the defendant's targeted use of Instagram stories to discourage romantic rivals, and his alleged interference with Mr Baird's phone by blocking contacts.
Ms Harvell said in an attempt to get other men to "back off", Mr Lamarre-Condon uploaded a generic photo of flowers, making it visible only to certain accounts through the app's 'close friends' function.
Mr Baird was not able to view that post, but someone who did sent him a screenshot.
He confronted the accused, asking via text: "What's this about?"
Ms Harvell said Mr Lamarre-Condon, in "damage control", paid $160 for a florist to replicate the bouquet and asked his mother, Coleen Lamarre, to pose for the photo and write a note herself.
The 888-word message
Mr Lamarre-Condon sent Mr Baird a series of messages asking him to call or "chat in person", saying he was "confused" and he did not "understand why this [the flowers] is an issue", a screenshot sent to Ms Harvell showed.
He then shared an 888-word draft to her of a message he wanted to send to Mr Baird on November 16.
Beau Lamarre-Condon: … You feel as if I possibly blocked someone on your Instagram, as I was with you this morning, which would be a massive betrayal of your trust …
… When I re-entered this situation with you, I even said to you I want to live in the moment with you and I don't want to know about anything or anybody else …
Mr Lamarre-Condon said Mr Baird had mentioned a "few examples" of concern brought to his attention, including the "flower situation".
Beau Lamarre-Condon: … Where I honestly didn't do that, you not believing my word after never giving you a reason not too …
I'm sure you would feel gutted/hurt not knowing how to prove your innocence …
'Come clean'
The next day, Ms Harvell told the accused she was "torn" whether it would be worth him telling Mr Baird about blocking a man he had been casually seeing.
Nicole Harvell: One part of me would say come clean but the other part says no after that long message
Mr Lamarre-Condon then sent Ms Harvell a screenshot of a follow-up message to Mr Baird saying "after sleeping on it I really want to take ownership of something".
About six hours later, the accused said Mr Baird had blocked him on social media.
On the morning of November 18, Ms Harvell touched base with Mr Lamarre-Condon.
Beau Lamarre-Condon: I'm so in the wrong though and it sucks!
Nicole Harvell: … He caused you to do this. Honestly. He was the biggest mind f**k
About 11:35am, he sent a text to Ms Harvell, sharing another message intended for Mr Baird.
Beau Lamarre-Condon: After seeing you today in paddington, it just reaffirms everything my gut was telling me, along with you just blocking me on Instagram — you're a manipulative player
… You lead me on to believe from the very start that this could be a possible relationship
… Then when I finally walked away from this … you send me a lovely text message saying you're so sorry for all the hurt you've caused, wished you were ready for a relationship because I'm everything you want on paper …
Mr Lamarre-Condon said the "cherry on top" was making "one mistake" about the blocking.
Beau Lamarre-Condon: Yes I didn't initially own it but at the end of the day I said I need to do what's right and apologise to you and be honest …
… The difference between you and I is I never did anything intentionally to hurt you …
… I walk away with my head held high …
Nicole Harvell: … That message was the most satisfying thing I've ever read
'Let it go'
On November 19, one day later, Mr Lamarre-Condon sent Ms Harvell photos of Mr Baird in the Blue Mountains taken from a website used to anonymously watch Instagram stories.
He said to Ms Harvell:
Beau Lamarre-Condon: Appreciate you seriously though! Xx
Nicole Harvell: You too ❤️. I feel like I've been there from the start of this Jesse saga as understand it all xx
After discussing photos of Mr Baird with Ms Harvell, the accused said:
Beau Lamarre-Condon: I need to let it go and keep reminding myself it was for the best x
Among the final messages between the workmates, Mr Lamarre-Condon wished her a safe flight on February 18, 2024.
The next day, he is alleged to have murdered Mr Baird and Mr Davies, before taking part in what the Crown has described as a calculated cover-up over several days.
His friend saw media articles about the couple's disappearance, which named the accused.
Nicole Harvell: F**k Beau are you okay?
There was no reply from Mr Lamarre-Condon, who the Crown says handed himself into a police station the following day.
