Jesse Baird’s housemates unknowingly slept in the house next to the bodies of Baird and his friend, Luke Davies, after the couple was allegedly murdered.
Alleged killer Beau Lamarre-Condon is accused of killing the couple at Mr Baird’s rental home in Paddington, Sydney, before dumping their bodies in a shallow forest grave in the NSW Southern Tablelands.
The pair were reportedly shot dead inside the $3 million terrace home at around 9:50 a.m. on February 19.
Police allege Lamarre-Condon later returned in a rental van to remove the bodies.
However, in the meantime, Mr Baird’s housemates returned to the house to find the house in a shoddy state. 7News reported.
Jesse Baird (right) and Luke Davies (left) were allegedly murdered in Baird’s home on February 19
Mr Baird’s roommates reportedly saw a red stain, which they thought was beet juice, in the backyard on the night of the couple’s alleged murder (photo, a forensics officer at the house)
They noticed a red spot in the backyard but reportedly innocently assumed that Mr. Baird had simply spilled a can of beetroot juice.
That red stain is believed to be blood that seeped from a blue tarp covering the couple’s bodies.
The roommates went to sleep that night with the bodies still in the backyard.
Lamarre-Condon allegedly returned to the house later and placed the bodies in surfboard bags before removing them.
New South Wales police allege Lamarre-Condon bought just one surfboard bag from a store in Miranda, in Sydney’s south-east, just two days before the alleged murders.
However, after the alleged murders, he returned to buy a second surf bag.
Police say this indicates Lamarre-Condon only intended to kill Mr Baird, but his friend Mr Davies was killed because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Their bodies are said to have been buried under a pile of earth (photo, right of the police officer) along a road in Bungonia. Police are said to have unknowingly driven past the bodies several times earlier this week during a search of another building about 20 minutes to the south.
Beau Lamarre-Condon (pictured) is accused of shooting TV presenter Jesse Baird and his flight attendant friend Luke Davies
“We will vigorously argue in our case that this murder was premeditated and that the second murder occurred because of Luke’s appearance in the house,” Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald told Nine News on Wednesday.
Police are currently treating the alleged double murder as a domestic violence incident.
Mr Baird and Mr Davies’ remains were excavated on Tuesday after being found behind a mound of earth near Bungonia in the NSW Southern Tablelands.
The two men’s bloodied clothes were reportedly thrown into a bin in Cronulla, almost 20 miles away, before their bodies were hidden in surfboard bags.
Police allege Mr Lamarre-Condon then rented a white Toyota HiAce van from Sydney Airport and took the bodies about 180km south-west of Sydney, before placing them in a shallow grave on a fence on Jerrara Road to bury.
The temporary grave site was more of a gravel niche next to the entrance to the Greek Orthodox Holy Monastery of St. Fanourios Church.
The police are said to have unknowingly driven past the bodies several times earlier this week during a search of another building, about 20 minutes to the south.
A team of police officers searched the bushland surrounding the site for evidence on Wednesday, with the help of a sniffer dog, picks and rakes.
Several items found near the bodies have now been collected as part of the investigation.
Heartbroken relatives of Mr Baird, who traveled to the area from the highway, attended the scene under police guard on Tuesday evening.
Family members spent about 15 minutes with Mr. Baird’s body before driving away.
Meanwhile, shattered friends of Mr Baird and Mr Davies gathered at Bronte Beach for a vigil.
The bodies were then taken to Lidcombe mortuary, in Sydney’s west, while detectives remained at the scene in Bungonia.
Lamarre-Condon handed himself in at Bondi police station last Thursday before being charged with two counts of murder on Friday.
Police found the remains at 1pm on Tuesday and contacted the families of Baird and Davies shortly afterwards.
Lamarre-Condon’s case is before the judge.
