Officer used personal Instagram to track suspect

NSW police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon used a personal Instagram account to locate a colleague who had disappeared after an alleged double murder, a Sydney court heard. Const Hayley Keefe sent the message on February 21, 2024, asking Lamarre-Condon to contact the crime manager at the Eastern Suburb.

The trial involves the deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, who were found in surfboard bags at a rural property. Lamarre-Condon, 31, pleaded not guilty to both murders. He told police on February 22 that he was not avoiding authorities. He said he would report the next day. He was found in a white van outside a friend's home.

Police attempted to reach Lamarre-Condon for four days after the incident. Const Kye Richards took a three-minute call from the officer. Lamarre-Condon stated he wanted to let a detective or sergeant know he was not hiding. He explained that he had his phone on aeroplane mode. He arrived at the home of a friend known as Fiona Rosso three days after the killings.

Rosso testified that Lamarre-Condon was crying and said he had done something bad. He scrubbed blood from a white van using two buckets. Lamarre-Condon messaged Rosso the morning before the murders. He told her not to worry and that he had deleted all social media accounts. He later drove to Sydney after spending the night at her home.

Keefe's statement outlined the process of contacting the officer. A crime manager asked her to use her personal account. She wrote the message on February 21. She deleted the message after it remained unread. She felt awkward using personal social media for business purposes. Lamarre-Condon's mother texted him the code word hot chocolate. This indicated police had searched her home.

The crown alleges Lamarre-Condon killed Baird execution style at close range. Prosecutors claim he shot Davies to eliminate a witness. Lamarre-Condon claims self-defense. He says he entered the terrace to retrieve belongings. Prosecutors rejected his offer to plead guilty to manslaughter for Baird's death. Justice Natalie Adams is presiding over the trial.

The jury heard evidence on Thursday regarding the police contact attempts. The statement from Const Richards detailed the phone conversation. The statement from Const Keefe detailed the Instagram message. The trial continues with further testimony scheduled.