Victoria police shoot fugitive Dezi Freeman after seven-month manhunt for police killings
Consensus Summary
Victoria police shot and killed fugitive Dezi Freeman (born Desmond Filby) at a rural property near Walwa on Monday, August 12, 2024, after a seven-month manhunt following his fatal shooting of two officers and injuring a third during a search warrant execution in Porepunkah on August 26, 2025. Freeman, a self-described âsovereign citizenâ with a history of anti-authority rhetoric, evaded capture despite a massive operation involving 450+ officers, 2,000+ public tips, and a $1 million reward. The operation, Australiaâs largest-ever tactical policing effort, included searches in rugged terrain like Mount Buffalo National Park and targeted cadaver dog missions. Police confirmed Freeman was found in a shipping container after receiving a tip-off, with negotiations leading to a shootout. The two slain officers, Neal Thompson (38-year veteran) and Vadim De Waart-Hottart (34), were highly regarded professionals; their deaths sparked widespread grief. While the shooting brings closure for many, police and families emphasize it does not undo the trauma caused by Freemanâs actions. Contradictions exist in minor details like arrest timelines and exact locations, but all sources agree on the core events and key figures involved.
â Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Dezi Freeman (born Desmond Filby), 56, was shot dead by police at a rural property in Victoriaâs northeast on Monday, August 12, 2024, at approximately 8:30 AM.
- Freeman is accused of fatally shooting Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson (59) and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart (35) on August 26, 2025, at a property in Porepunkah, Victoria, while police executed a search warrant for historical sexual offences.
- A third officer was seriously injured during the August 26 shootings and underwent surgery; his name was not released to protect privacy.
- Victoria Police offered a $1 million reward for information leading to Freemanâs arrest, the largest in Victorian history for facilitating an arrest (not conviction).
- Over 2,000 public tips were received during the manhunt, and more than 100 properties were searched in the Porepunkah region.
- Freeman fled into bushland near Mount Buffalo National Park after the shootings and was last seen running into the area on August 26, 2025.
- Police used cadaver dogs in targeted searches in December 2025 and February 2026, with a âstrong possibilityâ Freeman was dead in Mount Buffalo National Park by February.
- Freeman was a self-described âsovereign citizenâ with a history of anti-authority rhetoric, including posts on social media calling for the âexterminationâ of politicians and âdead copsâ being the âonly good copâ.
- Neal Thompson was a 38-year veteran of Victoria Police due to retire days after his death; Vadim De Waart-Hottart was a 34-year-old fluent in multiple languages and part of the Public Order Response Team.
- The operation involved 450+ Victoria Police officers, Australian Defence Force members, Australian Federal Police, and officers from other states, making it Australiaâs largest-ever tactical police operation.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Steve, a local horserider, described the uncertainty of riding in the area due to Freemanâs presence, noting the smell in the air and fear of encountering a body.
- Bright Brewery owner Scott Brandon said tourism in Porepunkah was negatively impacted by the manhunt, with locals discussing Freemanâs case constantly despite summer peak season.
- Ashley Drummond, a Mount Alfred resident, was stopped by police near Murray River Road during the operation, with officers blocking traffic.
- Freemanâs wife, Amalia, and their 15-year-old son were arrested and questioned in late August 2025 but released without charge.
- Freemanâs friend described him as âunemployableâ in the early 2000s, living in his car and receiving disability benefits due to an inability to take orders.
- Freeman attended a chaotic 2021 protest against Daniel Andrewsâ alleged treason, where participants showed doctored images of the premier as a dictator.
- Satellite imagery confirmed Freeman was found in a shipping container at a sprawling property near Walwa, which included multiple buildings, a caravan, and disused vehicles.
- Police surveilled the Walwa property for several days before the stand-off, receiving a tip-off about Freemanâs location last week.
- Freeman allegedly emerged from hiding in a container to shoot at officers after a stand-off, following hours of tense negotiations.
- A veteran detective told *The Age* that today was a âgood dayâ and praised police for continuing to serve the public as the fallen officers would have.
- The State Coroner and Victoria Policeâs Professional Standards Command will oversee the investigation into Freemanâs shooting, as per standard process for police shootings.
- The Police Association Victoria stated Freemanâs death was a âstep forwardâ but emphasized it did not lessen the trauma caused by his actions.
- Chief Commissioner Mike Bush stated police made an âappeal to encourage the person to come outâ before the shooting, describing it as a âstand-offâ with tactical deployment.
- Bush acknowledged police had considered the possibility Freeman was dead in Mount Buffalo National Park but kept all avenues open.
- Freemanâs social media activity from 2019 onwards was analyzed by ABC NEWS Verify, showing intense aversion to authority and false accusations against authorities.
- Freemanâs friend described him as having an âarsenalâ of weapons and being radicalized by the sovereign citizen movement.
- Chief Commissioner Mike Bush stated the operation brings âclosure to everyone involvedâ in the tragic event.
- The same details as *The Age* regarding the Walwa property and Freemanâs location in a shipping container, with no additional unique information.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC and *The Age*/SMH report Freeman was found near Walwa, but ABC initially stated he was found in Victoriaâs northeast without specifying Walwa until later updates.
- ABC mentions Freeman was last seen running into bushland on August 26, 2025, while *The Guardian* and *The Age* state he fled into bushland near Mount Buffalo National Park on that date (no contradiction in location, but emphasis differs).
- ABC reports Freeman was found in a shipping container, but *The Age* and SMH confirm this detail via satellite imagery, with no contradictionâboth sources agree.
- ABC states Freemanâs wife and son were arrested and released in late August 2025, while *The Guardian* and *The Age* do not specify the exact timing of their arrest beyond âdays laterâ after the shootings.
- Some sources (e.g., *The Guardian*) describe Freeman as ânot surrendering peacefully,â while others (e.g., ABC) focus on the formal identification process without explicitly stating Freeman refused to surrender.
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