--- title: "Detective describes finding bodies in surfboard bags at trial" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/detective-describes-finding-bodies-in-surfboard-bags-at-trial" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/detective-describes-finding-bodies-in-surfboard-bags-at-trial" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/detective-describes-finding-bodies-in-surfboard-bags-at-trial.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/detective-describes-finding-bodies-in-surfboard-bags-at-trial" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-10-07T04:45:37.133Z" source_reported: "2026-10-07T03:34:23.000Z" updated: "2026-10-07T04:45:37.133Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 70 hype_score: 20 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-07T04:30:52.089Z" --- # Detective describes finding bodies in surfboard bags at trial *Beau Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty to murdering Jesse Baird and Luke Davies in February 2024.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Central claims attributed to named police officer and witness; two independent outlets published full reports. - Craft 70 of 100, higher is better. Reports clearly separate fact from comment and provide specific details of the investigation. - Hype 20 of 100, lower is better. Headlines and content are measured and proportionate to the information presented. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Beau Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty to murdering Jesse Baird and Luke Davies in February 2024. - Detective Senior Constable Christine Abela testified about finding surfboard bags containing the bodies at a Bungonia property. - A friend of Lamarre-Condon, known as Elizabeth Kennedy, provided an induced statement to police about purchasing an angle grinder. - Kennedy stated she drove with Lamarre-Condon in a white van to Goulburn on February 21, 2024, where they bought an angle grinder. Beau Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty to murdering Jesse Baird and Luke Davies in February 2024. The trial heard that Detective Senior Constable Christine Abela described to a jury the discovery of the men's bodies in surfboard bags at a rural property in Bungonia. Some of Mr Baird's loved ones left the courtroom as the detective began to describe the finding. Detective Abela testified that she took an induced statement from a friend of Lamarre-Condon, identified in proceedings as Elizabeth Kennedy. Ms Kennedy stated that on February 21, 2024, she drove with Lamarre-Condon in a white van to Goulburn. There, they purchased an angle grinder from a Bunnings store. Ms Kennedy also provided a description of a farm. Police searched a rural property in Bungonia and found surfboard bags containing the bodies of Baird and Davies. Detective Abela described a strong smell of decomposition at the site, where the bags were found on a fence line with sticks and branches on top. Police divers had previously searched two dams on the farm and found weights, cement residue, and cable ties. ## Disagreement on the van and padlock WA Today and The Sydney Morning Herald report that Kennedy stated she had driven to the southern tablelands with Lamarre-Condon on February 21, 2024, in a white van. WA Today also reported that Kennedy said the accused had cut the padlock off the gate of a rural property after the Bunnings trip. ABC Australia reported that Detective Abela said she observed the wires to CCTV cameras at the property had been cut, but the property owner thought cockatoos were responsible. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated or centre-rated reports mentioned the detail that a friend of Lamarre-Condon, known as Elizabeth Kennedy, provided an induced statement to police. The reports also did not mention that Kennedy stated she drove with Lamarre-Condon in a white van to Goulburn on February 21, 2024, and they bought an angle grinder. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 67% (4) - Centre: 33% (2) - Right: 0% (0) 1 of 7 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-07T04:30:52.089Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 9 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-07T07:00:22.235Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports led on the testimony of Detective Senior Constable Christine Abela describing the discovery of the bodies. ABC Australia's full report detailed the search for the bodies, the induced statement from Elizabeth Kennedy, and the prosecution's allegations regarding Lamarre-Condon's alleged infatuation with Baird. The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and Brisbane Times, using digests, also highlighted Kennedy's statement about the white van and angle grinder purchase. ### Centre - The centre-rated reports focused on the details of Elizabeth Kennedy's induced statement to police. WA Today's full report detailed the white van, the purchase of an angle grinder, and the search for the bodies, including the discovery of a cut padlock. IntelliNews, using a digest, noted that Lamarre-Condon did not talk about Jesse Baird to a friend in the lead-up to the alleged murders. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 3 - unknown: 1 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [INTELLINEWS](https://intelli.news/2026/10/07/beau-lamarre-condon-didnt-talk-about-jesse-baird-to-friend-in-lead-up-to-alleged-murders-court-hears) — Beau Lamarre-Condon Didn-T Talk About Jesse Baird to Friend in Lead-up to Alleged Wallers, Short Ears - [ABC Australia](https://abc.net.au/news/2026-10-07/police-officer-discovers-bodies-beau-lamarre-condon-trial/107237650) — Detective describes finding bodies to Lamarre-Condon trial - [Sydney Morning Herald](https://smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-white-van-and-the-angle-grinder-what-lamarre-condon-s-friend-told-police-20261007-p613i0.html) — The white van and the angle grinder: What Lamarre-Condon’s friend told police - [The Age](https://theage.com.au/national/nsw/the-white-van-and-the-angle-grinder-what-lamarre-condon-s-friend-told-police-20261007-p613i0.html) — The white van and the angle grinder: What Lamarre-Condon’s friend told police - [Brisbane Times](https://brisbanetimes.com.au/national/nsw/the-white-van-and-the-angle-grinder-what-lamarre-condon-s-friend-told-police-20261007-p613i0.html) — The white van and the angle grinder: What Lamarre-Condon’s friend told police - [WA today](https://watoday.com.au/national/nsw/the-white-van-and-the-angle-grinder-what-lamarre-condon-s-friend-told-police-20261007-p613i0.html) — The white van and the angle grinder: What Lamarre-Condon’s friend told police - [MSNBCTV NEWS](https://msnbctv.news/beau-lamarre-condon-didnt-talk-about-jesse-baird-to-friend-in-lead-up-to-alleged-murders-court-hears-australia-news) — Beau Lamarre-Condon didn’t talk about Jesse Baird to friend in lead-up to alleged murders, court hears ## Questions **What has Beau Lamarre-Condon pleaded to?** Beau Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty to murdering Jesse Baird and Luke Davies in February 2024. The trial is ongoing, with defence lawyers indicating they will argue self-defence. **Where were the bodies of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies found?** The bodies of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies were found in surfboard bags at a rural property in Bungonia, New South Wales. Detective Senior Constable Christine Abela testified about the discovery during the trial. **What role did Elizabeth Kennedy play in the investigation?** Elizabeth Kennedy, a friend of Lamarre-Condon, provided an induced statement to police. She stated she drove with Lamarre-Condon to Goulburn on February 21, 2024, where they purchased an angle grinder. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/detective-describes-finding-bodies-in-surfboard-bags-at-trial. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Detective describes finding bodies in surfboard bags at trial", https://mediabias.news/politics/detective-describes-finding-bodies-in-surfboard-bags-at-trial