Beau Lamarre-Condon: How Renee Fortuna made one CrimeStoppers call that changed the investigation into the disappearances of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies
- Beau Lamarre-Condon charged with murder
- Jesse Baird and Luke Davies were allegedly murdered on February 19
A former police officer immediately called CrimeStoppers after becoming concerned about Beau Lamarre-Condon’s alleged behavior when he showed up at her home, police say.
Beau Lamarre-Condon allegedly drove the van to Newcastle, 165km north of Sydney, arriving at the home of police officer Renee Fortuna (pictured) around 8.30pm, where he allegedly borrowed a hose to clean the vehicle
Police will allege the 28-year-old shot officer Jesse Baird, 26, and Luke Davies, 29, with his service weapon at the Channel 10 presenter’s Paddington home in Sydney’s east on Monday, February 19.
He then allegedly hired a white rental van to remove the couple’s bodies before driving to Renee Fortuna’s home in Lambton, Newcastle, on Thursday evening, where he asked to borrow a hose to clean the vehicle.
At the time of the visit, a massive and highly publicized search was underway for the two men after they were reported missing on Wednesday when their bloodied belongings were found in a bin in Cronulla, in Sydney’s south.
Deputy Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald said Fortuna’s tip Thursday evening was crucial to the investigation.
Beau Lamarre-Condon (photo) has been charged with two counts of murder
“After the suspect visited her home, she became suspicious of his motives and (about) some of his statements,” police will allege.
“She then immediately contacted Crime Stoppers.”
Ms Fortuna, who had previously left the force, is not accused of any wrongdoing or any knowledge of the alleged killings.
Police will allege Lamarre-Condon was in love with Baird and had stalked the Channel 10 presenter in recent weeks before plotting to kill him.
In the previous days, he allegedly stole bullets from a shooting range to later refill his service weapon, and bought a surfboard bag to dispose of the body.
Police will argue that Mr Davies was not an intended target but happened to be at the house when Lamarre-Condon broke in to commit the murder at around 9.50am last Monday.
Lamarre-Condon then allegedly shot them both, wrapped their bodies in tarpaulin and then hid them at the back of the property before renting a van to pick up the bodies later that evening.
Jesse Baird (left) and Luke Davies (right) had only recently started dating
Police will allege he spent the next few days working to cover up his crimes: buying supplies to dispose of the bodies, dumping the men’s bloodied belongings in a garbage bin and sending text messages from Mr Baird’s phone to loved ones .
He also allegedly bought a second surfboard bag for his unintended victim.
Lamarre-Condon then allegedly drove with another girlfriend – who police said was an “innocent” party unaware of the situation – to a private property in Bungonia, where he dumped the bodies while leaving her at the gate for 30 minutes kept waiting.
Police will allege he later returned to the property and moved the men to another location 20 minutes away on Jerrara Road after the friend became suspicious of his actions.
Lamarre-Condon turned himself in to police last Friday and was charged with two counts of murder. He is currently in protective custody at the Silverwater Correctional Centre.
He will appear at Sydney Downing Center Local Court on April 23.