Crucial timeline ‘gap’ in alleged murder

The discovery of the bodies of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies could close a crucial “gap” in the timeline of alleged murderer Beau Lamarre Condon as authorities probe whether the cop accessed a police-issued work computer over the course of the days.

Loved ones of Mr Baird spent about half-an-hour at the crime scene, arriving in two separate cars on Tuesday.

Mr Baird and Mr Davies’ bodies were been found dumped in surf bags along a fence near the entrance of a second property at Bungonia, in NSW’s Southern Tablelands.

Detectives are now probing a crucial avenue of inquiry that their alleged killer, Beau Lamarre-Condon, may have returned to the property at an earlier time, retrieved the bodies and disposed of them “somewhere else”.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said a “gap” in the timeline of Lamarre-Condon’s whereabouts, specifically from 11.30am on Thursday until 8.30pm that day, when he appeared at an acquaintance’s property in Newcastle, was being investigated.

“We are still working through that theory and we are obviously commencing and have undertaken significant inquiries in relation to that,” NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson told reporters earlier.

NSW Police also said there was no information to indicate Mr Lamarre-Condon had used his MobiPol work computer at some point over the timeline of the alleged murder.

“This and all the man’s actions will be looked at as part of the ongoing homicide investigation,” a NSW Police spokesperson told NCA NewsWire.

Officers previously searched two dams at a separate property located about 20 minutes away during the search for the pair’s bodies, but ceased search operations in the water there overnight on Monday.

About five family members of Mr Baird were photographed arriving in two separate cars on Tuesday.

Police seemed surprised by their appearance at the checkpoint and initially asked them to wait.

They were then ushered to the crime scene, out of view of the media.

Some family members were wearing sunglasses and one woman covered her face with her hands as they went past the media.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said discovery of human remains marked a “very important day in this investigation” and that the families had been informed.

“Detectives attended a second location to the scene they had been searching yesterday and at that location we believe we have located two bodies,” she said.

“Crime scene detectives have just arrived on scene at that location now where a specialist forensic investigation will take place.

“It is an important time in this investigation that we now know – we believe – we’re very confident that we have located Luke and Jesse.”

Ms Webb alleged that the crime scene had been located “with the assistance of the accused” after detectives attended Silverwater prison.

Homicide Squad Commander Daniel Doherty alleged as a result of the conversation with Lamarre-Condon police were able to provide “a location for Luke and Jesse”.

“As a result, at 1pm today Homicide Squad detectives attended a location of Jerrara Rd, Bungonia … where they have located the remains,” he said.

He said police would allege the Sydney cop returned to the property to move the bodies from the first property between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.

“Attempts appear to have been made to cover the bodies in rock and debris,” Mr Doherty said, adding that they were located along a fence line near the driveway.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald said police were “right out to jail” after Lamarre-Condon “finally obtained legal counsel this morning”.

“Police had previously interviewed, or attempted to interview him, when they charged him, but this is the first time he has willingly provided information,” he said.

Lamarre-Condon remains behind bars on remand after he handed himself in on Friday to Bondi police station and was charged with two counts of murder.

Police earlier on Tuesday canvassed areas of Grays Point in the Sutherland Shire where the Toyota HiAce van allegedly rented Beau Lamarre-Condon was found.

An evidentiary search was also launched at a remote area of the Royal National Park, with dive searches of the two dams at Bungonia having concluded overnight.

In a wide-reaching press conference on Monday, NSW Police Commissioner Deputy Commissioner David Hudson revealed officers had been investigating the possibility the couple’s bodies had been relocated.

Mr Hudson said investigators looked into whether Lamarre-Condon returned to the property with weights and torches having allegedly travelled there earlier with an acquaintance who he said was “fully co-operating” with police.

The search for answers comes amid a wider fallout from the alleged killing of the couple by a serving officer, with a NSW Police spokesperson confirming the board for Mardi Gras had asked for police to not join the march this year.

Ms Webb, the state’s top cop, also faced pressure over her handling of the public-facing aspects of the investigation, with 2GB’s Ben Fordham criticising her for not having fronted the media in person until Monday.

On Tuesday, she struck a more conciliatory tone, telling Today show host Karl Stefanovic of reviews into the handling of firearms by officers that “something went wrong (and) we need to do something about that”.

Ms Webb earlier revealed she had called in Victoria Police Commissioner Shane Patton to appoint a senior officer to oversee the review into the handling of firearms, with police alleging Constable Lamarre-Condon’s pistol was used in the killings.

During the press conference, Mr Hudson provided grisly new details about the alleged murder. He alleged there had been reports of gunshots in the area of Mr Baird’s Paddington home on Monday, February 19.

Lamarre-Condon is alleged to have had a discussion with an acquaintance days later about the “death of two individuals” and had travelled to Bungonia with another acquaintance in a van rented from Sydney airport.

Once there, Lamarre-Condon is alleged by Mr Hudson to have “disappeared” into the property with the van before returning sometime later and travelling with the acquaintance, a woman, back to Sydney. The woman is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Police also shed light on the actions of Constable Lamarre-Condon before the alleged killings, that were described as controlling and included messages he allegedly sent from Mr Baird’s phone claiming he was moving.

In a separate alleged incident, Mr Hudson alleged Constable Lamarre-Condon had entered Mr Baird’s home and deleted contacts and messages from his phone. For her part, Ms Webb described the alleged killings on Monday as an act of “passion”.

Ms Webb later walked back the comments in interviews on Sunrise and Sky News, and addressed it again in Tuesday’s press conference. She instead described elements of alleged domestic violence related offending and stalking.