Full Breakdown
Beau Lamarre-Condon murder trial: DNA evidence and bullet-hole dispute
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Double murder trial in Sydney
On February 19, 2024, former senior constable Beau Lamarre-Condon, 31, is accused of fatally shooting Jesse Baird and Luke Davies with his police service weapon inside Baird’s Paddington home. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one count of aggravated break-and-enter. The case is being heard before Justice Natalie Adams in the New South Wales Supreme Court.
Evidence under scrutiny – DNA in the gun barrel and door hole
A swab taken from the barrel of the alleged murder weapon returned a DNA profile that partially matched Davies. The prosecution points to a bullet-size hole—less than one centimetre in diameter—in the bedroom door, through which they say Davies was shot; the hole tested negative for blood. Defence lawyer John Stratton SC argues that the likelihood of biological material traveling from a wound, through a sub-centimetre opening, and into the gun barrel “approaches zero.” The prosecution counters that the wound patterns and ballistics are consistent with a shot fired through the door.
Forensic pathologist Dr Kendall Bailey described Baird’s neck wound as exiting below the lip and noted that a shot to the temple would pass through the brain, likely incapacitating the victim. Dr James Raleigh, a forensic radiologist, presented CT scans showing a hole in Baird’s temple region and bone fragments aligned across the skull, as well as a facial wound on Davies consistent with a bullet entry. Both parties agree Baird was shot first, followed by Davies.
Official Statements & Responses
During cross-examination, crime-scene expert Greg Moon rejected the defence’s improbability argument, maintaining that DNA could still be present in the barrel. Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC asked about the functional impact of the injuries; Bailey responded that the jaw and tongue injuries would prevent coherent speech, and a brain-penetrating shot would incapacitate the victim. Raleigh explained that stippling—gunpowder particles deposited on a surface—was observed only on Baird’s temple wound, supporting the prosecution’s distance-of-fire analysis.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I disagree … I believe it can still happen,” — Greg Moon, crime scene expert
- “I’m putting to you it’s very improbable,” — John Stratton, defence lawyer
Impact and next steps
Forensic and ballistics evidence is expected to dominate the trial’s fourth week, after which the 15-person jury will view the Sydney terrace where the killings occurred. No verdict has been reached, and the trial remains ongoing.