Coleen Lamarre, the mother of former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon, has been charged with perverting the course of justice after allegedly attempting to influence a key witness in her son's double murder trial.
Arrest and Charges
New South Wales police confirmed that Lamarre, 63, was arrested in Balmain and charged with perverting the course of justice, an offence that carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. She was refused bail and is scheduled to appear before the Bail Division court on Thursday. Lamarre is a former employee of the NSW police force.
Background of the Case
Her son, Beau Lamarre-Condon, was charged with double murder in February 2024 after the bodies of Luke Davies and Jesse Baird were discovered. Baird, a 26-year-old former television presenter, had a prior casual relationship with Lamarre-Condon. Davies, 29, was a Qantas flight attendant and Baird's partner.
Lamarre-Condon, who remains in custody, is alleged to have shot the couple with his police-issued pistol at Baird's inner-city Sydney home before attempting to dispose of their remains. The bodies were found on 27 February inside surfboard bags at a rural property in Bungonia, near Goulburn, approximately 200 kilometres southwest of Sydney.
Legal Proceedings
Lamarre-Condon is due to face trial in September, with proceedings expected to last two to three months. In November 2024, his high-profile defence lawyer, John Walford, was replaced by Legal Aid representation. Legal Aid later withdrew, and his current solicitor is Ben Archbold.
Lamarre-Condon was dismissed from the NSW police force a few weeks after the alleged murders. He joined the force in 2019 and previously operated a celebrity blog, posing in photographs with numerous A-listers, including Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, and Harry Styles.
Impact on Mardi Gras
The alleged murders, which occurred in the lead-up to Mardi Gras, prompted the Mardi Gras board to request that police not march in the parade. The police ultimately participated but were in plainclothes. Former police commissioner Karen Webb faced criticism for describing the case as a "crime of passion." She later apologised, stating that her comments were intended to differentiate the case from a gay hate crime.
