A police officer has been declared a person of interest in a baffling missing persons case involving a former TV reporter and his partner.
Grave concerns are held for former Channel 10 presenter Jesse Baird, 26, and his partner, Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies, 29, after bloodied clothes, credit cards and keys — believed to belong to the pair — were found in a skip bin in Cronulla.
It’s understood an employee at a nearby venue reported the items to police after finding them about 11am on Wednesday.
The pair were last seen in Paddington in Sydney’s inner east on Monday before Mr Davies’ family raised the alarm after being unable to contact their son.
A manhunt for the missing duo was launched and Mr Baird’s terrace home in Paddington was later declared a crime scene after police found a “large amount of blood” and bloodstained furniture at the house.
Forensic investigators combed through items and furniture from Mr Baird’s Brown St home, and neighbours were quizzed for any possible clues.
LISTEN to the new podcast
Court in the Act
Inside the courtroom with Tim Clarke.
Find out more
Two cars were seized from the property, as well as a third from a separate location.
Detectives are now believed to be investigating a third person after talking to the men’s families on Thursday.
It is believed a current NSW Police officer dated one of the men in the past, with that officer yet to be located.
“Detectives will continue to look at all past relationships and associations,” police said.
Investigators also seized CCTV footage of the couple’s last known movements from Monday night, where they were captured wandering outside Mr Baird’s home before heading towards the back of the terrace. Neither have been seen since.
Mr Davies’ Waterloo home, in Sydney’s inner-south was also found empty.
In another twist, the AFL has also been caught up in the disappearances.
Mr Baird is a goal umpire and was due to officiate a practice match between the Sydney Swans and Greater Western Sydney Giants on Thursday. The AFL confirmed it contacted his family on Thursday after he failed to attend the match.
Detective Superintendent Jodi Radmore said police feared for both men and urged them to make contact.
“There has been some sort of incident which has more than likely happened at the Paddington address and that has given us grave concerns for one, possibly both,” she said.
Det.-Supt Radmore said while it was still “very early stages in the investigation”, those early signs indicated there was a struggle at the property, with furniture moved around in the home.
“Witnesses talked about some shouting on Monday earlier in the morning,” she said. “But it wasn’t reported to police at the time . . . it was only reported to police (on Wednesday).”
She also admitted there was sufficient blood to believe at least one person had suffered a “significant injury”.
One of the men was reported as being active online as recent as Tuesday night, but the men’s bank accounts remain untouched since the weekend.
Police urge anyone with any information to come forward.