SYDNEY: Australian police found the bodies of a TV presenter and his flight attendant boyfriend in a rural area outside Sydney on Tuesday, acting on information from a police officer charged with their murder. The discovery ends an almost week-long high-profile search for the remains of entertainment journalist Jesse Baird, 26, and Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies, 29.

A 28-year-old serving police constable who had previously been in a relationship with Baird has been charged with two counts of murder.

“We are very confident we have located Luke and Jesse,” said the head of New South Wales police Karen Webb, noting the families of the two victims had received the news with relief and sadness. “This information did come with the assistance of the accused,” Webb added.

Police believe the pair were shot at a home in central Sydney before being loaded into surfboard bags and transported to a rural property about two hours’ drive from the city.

Ballistics tests showed a projectile found at the apartment matched that of a police-issue firearm.

The weapon was later found inside a police station safe.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2024