Luke Davies, 29, and his partner Jesse Baird, 26. Photo: Supplied / Instagram
A 28-year-old police officer is set to be charged with two counts of murder, after a Sydney couple disappeared from the city's eastern suburbs earlier this week, police say.
Detective Superintendent Daniel Doherty confirmed that police have submitted two charges of murder against Constable Beau Lamarre, who is in custody after handing himself in to Bondi Police Station on Friday morning.
Detectives were searching for Lamarre in connection to the disappearance of former TV presenter Jesse Baird, 26, and his partner Luke Davies, 29.
The couple, who are still missing, were last seen at Baird's Paddington home on Sunday evening.
Lamarre is expected to face court today or tomorrow and police say he will be refused bail.
Detective Superintendent Doherty said a projectile was found that had been discharged from a gun that matched a police firearm. The firearm was located in a safe at a police station.
Officers have also found a white van that was allegedly driven by Lamarre to Grays Point in Sydney's south.
Detective Superintendent Doherty said the van was allegedly used to transport the bodies of Baird and Davies, after it was hired on Monday evening.
Crime scene established in Newcastle
A crime scene has been set up around a suburban street in the Newcastle suburb of Lambton.
At least a dozen police cars, including forensic vans are stationed in and around Karoola Road, near a bowling club and public swimming pool.
Crime scene police markers are clustered in a rectangle-shaped area along the road, in what appears to be the width of a car.
Police on Friday linked Lambton to the alleged murders, saying the accused rental van was parked in the Lambton street last night.
Cadaver dogs have been sent to two neighbouring houses as officers comb the area for clues.
Beau Lamarre hands himself in
Lamarre presented himself to Bondi Police station shortly after 10.30am on Friday.
It comes after a late-night search warrant was executed on Thursday at Waite Ave in Balmain, where a number of items were seized.
Police held "grave concerns" for the men after a "significant" amount of blood was found in Baird's Brown Street home.
The search of the house was prompted after a worker putting rubbish into a skip-bin in Cronulla on Wednesday found a number of bloodied items "that appeared to be unusual", Detective Superintendent Jodi Radmore said.
Last night police confirmed they were looking into a line of inquiry that "a third person may be able to assist with the investigation", NSW Police said in a statement.
"Detectives will continue to look at all past relationships and associations."
Baird worked for Network 10 for more than seven years, including reporting stints with Studio 10 and presenting Totally Wild, while his boyfriend, Davies, worked full-time as a Qantas flight attendant.
'Given us grave concerns'
The men have not been officially seen since they were last located at the eastern suburbs property, which is now a crime scene.
Witnesses told officers they heard "shouting" and a "verbal argument" early on Monday morning.
One of the men posted on social media on Tuesday, but police have not confirmed whether it was Davies or Baird.
Forensic evidence from the Cronulla skip bin suggests an "incident more than likely occurred at the Paddington address".
"That has given us grave concerns for one, possibly both their safety," Detective Superintendent Radmore said.
Police went to Davies' home in Waterloo this week but were unable to locate him.
A wallet, phone, credit card, keys and three cars and other items from the Balmain home have been seized as part of the investigation.
Forensic testing underway
Georgia Garrels, who lives two doors down from the Paddington home, said the situation was quite "confronting".
"I didn't hear anything suspicious that the police have spoken to us about but there's been a lot of police on the streets and out the back in the laneways," she said.
"It's been a bit crazy. It's a little bit scary that it's only two doors down. It's a bit confronting to be honest. I just hope they're okay."
Garrels said her housemates had spoken to Baird on the street in the past and added that he "seemed really friendly".
Social media posts show Davies and Baird attending the Pink concert in Sydney on Sunday, as well as smiling in a photo on a wine tour in the Hunter Valley earlier in the month.
"At this stage, we would like to speak to Luke or Jesse or ideally both," Detective Superintendent Radmore said.
Forensic testing of the blood is underway and cannot currently be matched to any individual.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
- This article was originally published by ABC News.
