Jackson Robb retells the heartbreaking tragedy surrounding TV presenter Jesse Baird and his partner Luke Davies.
Content Warning: Mentions of Domestic Violence, LGBTQIA Hate Crimes and Police Brutality
On the 27th of February, the bodies of TV presenter Jesse Baird and his partner, Luke Davies were found in a Bungonia property after being murdered by a policeman, 28-year-old Sen Const Beau Lamarre-Condon. Police found that the murder was premeditated as Baird was the ex-boyfriend of Lamarre-Condon, and the murder of Davies was a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time [1].
The pair were killed using a police-issued handgun that Lamarre withdrew in the days prior to the attack. Baird and Davies were likely killed on the morning of the 19th of February, when neighbours heard gunshots coming from Baird’s home in Paddington. A triple-zero call was made from Davies' phone approximately four minutes after the initial shots were fired but was terminated before being connected [2].
The events that unfolded afterwards sent police on a scavenger hunt to track down where the bodies had been buried. Beginning with bloodied clothes found in a Cronulla skip bin to the white van hired by Lamarre-Condon that took multiple trips to Bungonia and Newcastle, the police were able to find the bodies with the cooperation of the accused [3]. The bodies were believed to have originally been kept in a lake, stored in surfboard bags, and using weights to sink them before being moved to a final location in another street in Bungonia.
In light of the recent tragedy of Baird and Davies, the Mardi Gras Board released a statement that requested the police not attend the parade in 2024 due to sensitivities [4]. The announcement came as great relief to activism groups such as Pride in Protest who have been actively working to have police removed from Mardi Gras for years [5]. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb had much to say about the withdrawal of the invitation: “we are humans, we are representative of the community we serve, and so we should be there”.
This response comes after a special commission into LGBTQIA-related hate crimes over the last 40 years was released in December and found the police had properly failed to investigate the suspicious deaths of many LGBTQIA citizens [6]. Justice John Sackar urged the police to acknowledge their previous failures, but not issue a formal apology on the grounds of it appearing ingenuine. Webb honoured the recommendation, stating she is “determined to uphold the policies, education, and training now entrenched in the practices of modern policing which did not exist 30 years ago”.
However, despite the fractured relationship between the Australian LGBTQIA community and the police, the decision to exclude them was overturned, and instead allowed officers to participate without their uniforms. The views around police attendance in Mardi Gras have been met with widespread discussion from many members of the LGBTQIA community, some saying the support of the organisation is a nice idea whilst others believe it hypocritical in the wake of incidents like the deaths of Baird and Davies by an officer [7].
Jesse Baird and Luke Davies will be honoured at the 2024 Mardi Gras with a moment of silence and tribute by Qantas, the company Davies worked for [8].
ENDNOTES
[1] - Visontay, E., & McLeod, C. (2024, February 23). A grim find led to a worse end: the case of two missing men that horrified Sydney. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/23/a-grim-find-led-to-a-worse-end-the-case-of-two-missing-men-that-horrified-sydney-over-three-days
[2] - Dumas, D., & AAP. (2024, February 29). Alleged murder of Jesse Baird by Beau Lamarre was premeditated, NSW police claim. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/29/jesse-baird-luke-davies-alleged-murder-beau-lamarre-premeditated-nsw-police-issue-handgun
[3] - Police officer charged with two counts of murder over missing Sydney couple. (2024, February 23). SBS News. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/police-officer-charged-with-two-counts-of-murder-over-missing-sydney-couple/ulej8pmdh
[4] - Beazley, J., & Ittimani, L. (2024, February 28). NSW police to march in plainclothes at Sydney Mardi Gras after deal reached. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/28/nsw-police-sydney-mardi-gras-allowed-to-march-plain-clothes
[5] - Rogers, D. (2024, February 26). NSW Police uninvited from Sydney Mardi Gras parade. QNews. https://qnews.com.au/nsw-police-uninvited-from-sydney-mardi-gras-parade/
[6]- Lewis, A. (2023, December 21). Unsolved murders inquiry in NSW calls for fresh inquests into deaths of several men. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-21/nsw-gay-hate-crimes-inquiry-report-released/103244292
[7] - Roberts, M. (2024, March 2). Protesters arrested at Sydney Mardi Gras as thousands turn out to celebrate. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-02/sydney-mardi-gras-parade-luke-davies-jesse-baird-tribute/103535284
[8] - Thousands turn out for Mardi Gras as tributes flow for Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. (2024, March 2). SBS News. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/sydneys-lgbtqi-community-honours-jesse-baird-and-luke-davies-at-mardi-gras/3g1m1qm7m
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