Beau Lamarre-Condon Trial: Former Friends Testify About Alleged Confessions and Strained Relationships

Accused murderer, Beau Lamarre-Condon, smiled to himself as one of his former friends, Georgia Cook, gave evidence.

He shook his head slowly as she was cross-examined about her recollection of what she described as a "surreal" Thai dinner they had at a restaurant on Sydney's north shore in May 2023.

It was nine months before the former New South Wales senior constable allegedly fatally shot Jesse Baird and Luke Davies in Paddington in February 2024.

Mr Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty in a self-defence argument.

The prosecution alleges he murdered the couple, driven by an obsessive and jealous infatuation with Mr Baird, after he ended their casual relationship.

According to Ms Cook's version of the dinner, relayed in court, Mr Lamarre-Condon asked, "What would you do if I told you I killed someone, would you help me hide the body?"

Ms Cook said the accused went on: "After I kill them, I would take their stuff and I would put it in a dumpster and I would take their bodies to bushland where no one would ever find them."

She said the conversation left her feeling scared.

But defence barrister, James Lang repeatedly pressed Ms Cook about why she continued to be friendly with the accused after that time.

He presented to her a photo of them together, in which Ms Cook was smiling, and read out numerous text messages she later sent to him, peppered with affections, such as, "xxx" and "teary-eyed emoji".

"Love our chaotic relationship," Mr Lang read from a birthday text message to Mr Lamarre-Condon.

Ms Cook was unmoved.

"I still stand by that I was scared," she insisted.

"I could never forget these words being said to me, I could never forget."

Mr Lang then aired a previous charge of drug possession against Ms Cook.

He asked her if that was the reason her friendship with the former police officer became strained.

Ms Cook shrugged it off.

She told the court a dispute had arisen between them after Mr Lamarre-Condon asked her to do some unpaid bikini model work for a swimwear line he owned.

'Lies' about friends

For most of the trial, Mr Lamarre-Condon has remained silent and impassive, even during the most harrowing of evidence.

With his high skin fade haircut and monochrome attire, he has struck a studious pose with his right arm outstretched on the bench, taking notes.

But as former friends testified against him, he seemed most animated.

He blinked profusely, deep in thought, when a former childhood friend gave evidence about a video call she had with him approximately three months before the alleged murders.

She told the court he made a gun gesture with his hands and asked her, "Can [her partner] get me a gun"?

She said the conversation left her puzzled.

Defence counsel John Stratton SC challenged the witness's recollection, arguing it was Mr Lamarre-Condon checking to see if she was safe from the violent partner.

The witness fidgeted in the stand.

"That's incorrect," she said quickly.

Another former friend told the court she felt pressured by Mr Lamarre-Condon into allowing him to use her account to send a lengthy Instagram message to Jesse Baird.

In the 1,600-word message, sent over multiple entries because it exceeded the Instagram word limit, Mr Lamarre-Condon said he had cancer, a lie, the prosecution previously told the court.

The former friend said there were also "lies about me in (that message)".

She said she had been friends with the accused for 17 years.

Promises to former colleagues

Mr Lamarre-Condon's friendships extended to within the police force, and long-time former colleagues have given evidence, sitting diagonally from him.

On Thursday, it was Senior Constable Alexandra Scobie's turn.

She said she had been a sympathetic ear to Mr Lamarre-Condon's descriptions of his dealings with Mr Baird.

But the court heard she had to excuse herself from the initial police investigation into the alleged murders when she realised she knew the accused.

It was a "direct conflict of interest".

She recalled a "weird" conversation in which she said Mr Lamarre-Condon probed her about whether hire cars could be tracked.

It's alleged he hired a car and a van to carry out the alleged murders.

Ms Scobie said the accused told her "I promise I'm not doing anything illegal".

"I was like, 'Beau, just don't do anything stupid,'" she told the court.

In March 2024, he was sacked from the New South Wales Police.

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A macabre interest

The defence stress test of Mr Lamarre-Condon's old friends has been the first point of tension in the 12-week trial, which has largely coasted along.

Justice Natalie Adams has presided over the court with a cordial but no-nonsense approach, speaking with her hands and smiling at the jury to guide them through difficult matters.

Grief has permeated the proceedings.

Many a witness has come to mourn under a red-carpeted spiral staircase in the court's chequerboard foyer.

After giving evidence, one witness walked out of the courtroom heavily sobbing, a companion wrapping his arms around her.

The large number of members of the public, who had turned up in week one has dwindled in week two.

Some seemed to be there for a show.

If they were there for a show, this week has been the grimmest yet, with the jury shown photos of bloodied items and bone fragments.

It has been disturbing viewing, and there are 10 weeks to go.