Suggestion by Beau Lamarre-Condon’s lawyer about Qantas host’s death ‘impossible’: expert

A ballistics expert has branded suggestions by Beau Lamarre-Condon’s legal team that a bullet could have become lodged in the door through which he allegedly shot a Qantas host “impossible”.

The former police officer dressed up as an Uber Eats rider before allegedly murdering Jesse Baird and his new partner Luke Davies at the journalist’s Paddington home on February 19, 2024.

Mr Lamarre-Condon, 31, has pleaded not guilty and is arguing self-defence as he fights the murder allegations before a jury trial in the NSW Supreme Court.

It is alleged he shot Mr Davies through the TV presenter’s bedroom door as he tried to call triple-zero, with the bullet hole only discovered months ago in July 2026 as it had been covered with a hook during the 2024 investigation.

The former officer in turn argues that his police firearm “went off twice” and fatally wounded Mr Baird, with the gun then flung into another room.

Mr Lamarre-Condon claims he was calling triple-0 when Mr Davies emerged with the gun and fatally shot himself during a second struggle.

The jury has been told no bullet or impact mark was found in Mr Baird’s bedroom, with NSW Police ballistics expert Lucas Van Der Walt stating there was no possibility a bullet could have become stuck in the door.

“Not with this firearm or working ammunition, no,” Mr Van Der Walt told the court.

He later denied suggestions by Mr Lamarre-Condon’s barrister, John Stratton SC, that a bullet could become “lodged in the door” if it passed through a body before striking the door.

“That’s impossible,” Mr Van Der Walt replied.

“We’ve got clear stippling…That stippling would be on the body and not the door.”

The jury has been told stippling is burnt and unburnt particles from when a bullet was released from a cartridge, with pictures shown to the court of what is alleged to be stippling found on the bedroom door.

The bullet hole was only discovered in July this year as it had been covered with a hook, the jury was told.

Mr Van Der Walt gave a series of explanations for the absence of a bullet or impact mark in the bedroom, telling the jury the bullet could have made an impact with a medium that was removed from the scene such as a jacket, pillow or blanket.

“If that bullet continued and penetrated any of the surfaces, and that object was then removed and discarded, we’ll never find that bullet,” he said.

If it were to lightly impact a surface, it could leave behind a scuff mark that may just look like normal wear and tear, he told the jury, later noting extensive cleaning was undertaken at the home and the bullet could have been picked up.

“But there’s no actual evidence for example that the bullet went into a mattress…all we have is the absence of a projectile. That’s all we have as a fact,” Mr Stratton submitted.

“It’s like the old saying, absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence,” Mr Van Der Walt replied.

Cop’s farm trip months before alleged murders

Mr Lamarre-Condon allegedly tried to sink the couple’s bodies in a dam at Cella Farm in Bungonia before ultimately dumping them outside the fence line of a Greek monastery about 20km away.

The farm owners’ son revealed he matched with the former officer on the dating app Hinge in March 2023 in a statement he made to police the following year when he was aged 20.

The pair met up about five times in person from September that year, the jury was told.

Mr Lamarre-Condon stayed at Cella Farm for two days in November that year.

The former officer made a social media post about the farm stay with Taylor Swift’s You Belong With Me playing in the background, the jury was told.

The young man noticed Mr Lamarre-Condon was spending time with Mr Baird and still had active dating profiles, and he eventually “lost interest” with him and found someone else in December.

Months later, Mr Lamarre-Condon allegedly tried to dump the couple’s bodies at the farm.

The trial continues.