Sydney court plays covert prison recording in murder trial

A Sydney court heard a secret audio recording from a prison meeting between Beau Lamarre-Condon and a friend. The conversation, which took place in December 2025, has become central to the trial of the 31-year-old accused of fatally shooting a couple in 2024.

Lamarre-Condon faces two counts of murder and one charge of aggravated break and enter. He is accused of using his police service weapon to kill Jesse Baird and Luke Davies at Baird's home in Paddington on February 19, 2024. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The friend, whose identity is not public, first testified on Friday. He described a prison visit where Lamarre-Condon allegedly confessed to the killings. The accused reportedly called the event an out-of-body experience before suggesting it was a joke. On Monday, the jury listened to the audio evidence of that meeting.

The recording captures Lamarre-Condon asking the friend to turn around to check for a hidden microphone. The friend replied, "You're so paranoid," and told him to calm down. The two men also argued about the friend's statement to police. Lamarre-Condon accused the friend of lying about many things, while the friend said the accused had called him dumb.

Lamarre-Condon disputed the friend's memory of the night of the shooting. He said he acted in self-defense and did not kill Davies to eliminate a witness. He argued that entering the home was not a break and enter because Baird had given him a key. He conceded it was trespass but said he did not knock to avoid an apprehended violence order.

During the conversation, Lamarre-Condon claimed he would have acted differently if he had planned the shooting. He said he would have been calm, had cleaning supplies ready, and used a different firearm. He mentioned he could have bought another gun for $10,000. He also told the friend he had tested his gun at Royal National Park in early 2024 because he planned to return there to end his life.

The friend heard on the recording threatening to leave the conversation multiple times. He noted that what Lamarre-Condon was saying might not be the truth. The trial is presided over by Justice Natalie Adams and continues.