Beau Lamarre-Condon: TV presenter was ‘petrified’ of cop ex-boyfriend months before alleged murder, jury told

A TV presenter allegedly murdered by his ex-boyfriend was “petrified” of his accused killer and repeatedly told a close friend the man “has a gun”, a jury has been told.

Jesse Baird and his new partner Luke Davies were allegedly shot dead by former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon at the journalist’s home in Paddington, Sydney in February 2024.

Mr Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty to their murders and is currently on trial in the NSW Supreme Court.

Corey-Dean Thorpe, who dated Mr Baird for years but remained friends after an amicable break-up, broke down giving evidence on Wednesday morning.

The court was previously told Mr Lamarre-Condon allegedly posted an image of flowers, obtained from the internet, to give the impression that Mr Baird had sent him a large floral arrangement in November 2023.

He allegedly posted the image to a close friends Instagram story so Mr Baird could not see it, but people he believed to be his “romantic rivals” could.

When Mr Baird confronted him a week later, Mr Lamarre-Condon allegedly lied to him and said it was a “misunderstanding”, telling the TV presenter the flowers were a gift from his stepfather to his mother.

He then rushed to a florist and asked them to make a bouquet to match the photo he had posted online, and made a note that appeared to be from his stepfather to his mother, the court was told.

Mr Thorpe cried while telling the jury how Mr Baird was “petrified” following the incident.

“He was petrified, I never heard him so scared in his voice before,” Mr Thorpe told the jury.

“As he was speaking to me, he just kept repeating ‘He has a gun’.”

TV presenter was ‘so done’ with ex-cop

A friend of Mr Baird’s has told the jury the TV presenter said he was “so done” with Mr Lamarre-Condon just weeks before the former officer allegedly murdered him.

Matthew Edwards said Mr Baird told him Mr Lamarre-Condon’s Instagram posts about him made him feel “uncomfortable” and “frustrated”.

On February 3, just weeks before the alleged murders, Mr Edwards said the TV presenter told him he had not heard from the former police officer.

Mr Edwards said Mr Baird told him: “No thank f**k … I’m so done … I’m so done with (Mr Lamarre-Condon).

“He said, ‘Once I move house, this will be the last piece of me that Beau knows’.”

Mr Baird was due to move house the week of his alleged murder, the jury has been told.

Mr Edwards also revealed how happy his friend was to have found Mr Davies.

“He was almost falling in love with him,” Mr Edwards said.

“There was something about Luke that just lit Jesse up. They were the real deal.”

‘Am I being stupid?’: Accused ex-cop’s texts

It is not contested the 31-year-old disguised himself as an Uber Eats rider before entering the home, but prosecutors allege he then used his NSW Police service pistol he should not have had to kill the couple, shooting Mr Davies through a door as he tried to call triple-0.

In turn, the former officer’s legal team argue he had gone to the home to collect his belongings and his police firearm, which he had on him due to being a police officer, “went off” and fatally wounded Mr Baird during a struggle, the jury was told.

The gun was then flung into the lounge room, with Mr Lamarre-Condon arguing that while he was ringing triple-0 himself, Mr Davies emerged holding the firearm and then fatally shot himself during a struggle.

Prosecutors allege Mr Lamarre-Condon developed an “obsessive and jealous infatuation” with Mr Baird after their relationship breakdown and allegedly stalked him throughout 2023 and 2024, the jury was told.

The former officer allegedly told his friend and fellow police officer, Mitchell Quercigrossi, that “it sounds crazy, I love him” shortly after he met Mr Baird, the jury was told on Tuesday.

Mr Quercigrossi recalled the former officer telling him he was loosely dating Mr Baird, who wanted to keep things casual, while Mr Lamarre-Condon wanted something more serious.

Later, in April 2023, Mr Lamarre-Condon asked his friend for advice in a series of late night messages, allegedly sending Mr Quercigrossi photographs of the TV presenter’s messages with another man.

The former officer allegedly asked “Am I just being stupid in hanging around?” and wrote “Haha and to think I just told you that I was calm and not crazy. But I need your honest advice”, the jury was told.

Mr Quercigrossi replied: “So you went through his phone? So crazy”.

“No, he gave me it earlier to change his background picture … but yes, I clicked on the message,” Mr Lamarre-Condon allegedly replied.

Mr Quercigrossi told the court he advised Mr Lamarre-Condon if it were him, he would leave the relationship.

The testimony came after Mr Baird’s sister Kourtnee told the court the TV presenter was “scared” of Mr Lamarre-Condon and had “caught him” going through his phone and blocking his male friends.

Mr Stratton also told the jury there is no dispute Mr Lamarre-Condon was “very upset” after their break up, and that he did “some stupid things” including deleting texts and contact from Mr Baird’s phone.

The trial continues.