Victoria police shoot fugitive Dezi Freeman after seven-month manhunt for killing two officers
Consensus Summary
Dezi Freeman, a 56-year-old self-described sovereign citizen, was shot dead by police on Monday after a seven-month manhunt following his alleged shooting deaths of two officers and wounding a third during a search warrant execution at his Porepunkah property on August 26, 2025. The manhunt involved over 450 officers and a $1 million reward, making it Australiaās largest tactical policing operation. Freeman was found near Walwa/Thologolong, about 200 kilometers northeast of Porepunkah, hiding in a shipping container or a makeshift camp. Police confirmed a three-hour standoff before Freeman was shot after refusing to surrender peacefully and presenting a firearm. The operation concluded with the families of the slain officers, Neal Thompson and Vadim De Waart-Hottart, receiving closure, though investigations into the shooting and Freemanās actions will continue. Sources agree on key details like the reward amount, the officers killed, and the scale of the manhunt, but differ slightly on the exact location of Freemanās final hideout and the specifics of his weapons or assistance during his time on the run.
ā Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Dezi Freeman (aka Desmond Filby), 56, was shot dead by police on Monday, August 26, 2024, at approximately 8:30 AM at a rural property in northeast Victoria near Walwa/Thologolong, about 200km northeast of Porepunkah.
- Freeman allegedly shot and killed Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson (59) and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart (34) on August 26, 2025, at his Porepunkah property while police executed a search warrant for historical sexual assault allegations.
- A third police officer was seriously injured during the August 26 shootings and underwent surgery for lower-body injuries, expected to make a full recovery but described as 'significantly damaged'.
- The manhunt for Freeman involved over 450 Victoria Police officers, Australian Defence Force members, Australian Federal Police, and officers from other states, making it Australiaās largest tactical policing operation.
- Victoria Police offered a $1 million reward for information leading to Freemanās arrest, the largest reward of its kind in Victoriaās history, and received over 2,000 pieces of information during the search.
- Freeman was last seen fleeing into bushland near Mount Buffalo National Park after the shootings and was found in a shipping container or a structure described as a cross between a shipping container and a caravan.
- The standoff with Freeman lasted several hours before he was shot dead, with police confirming he did not surrender peacefully and presented a firearm during the confrontation.
- The state coroner and Victoria Policeās Professional Standards Command will investigate the shooting of Freeman, following standard procedures for police shootings.
- Freeman was a self-described 'sovereign citizen' with a history of hostility toward police and the judicial system, and had previously been involved in disputes over public access to Mount Buffalo National Park and attempts to prosecute former Premier Daniel Andrews for treason.
- The families of the two slain officers were the first to be notified of Freemanās death, and police confirmed the operation brought 'closure' to the tragic event.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Police chief commissioner Mike Bush confirmed Freeman was given every opportunity to surrender peacefully and that video evidence showed Freeman leaving his hideout cloaked in a blanket before presenting a firearm to officers.
- Bush stated police believed Freeman was armed with a weapon believed to be one of the service weapons taken from the officers he killed in August.
- The Guardian reported Freemanās final hideout was a ramshackle camp with multiple shipping containers and portable dongas, none with running water or electricity.
- Bush suggested Freeman was helped by others during his time on the run and that police would investigate who assisted him in traveling from Porepunkah to Thologolong.
- The $1 million reward was described as 'unprecedented in Victoria' and was offered to appeal to peopleās greed, according to criminologist Terry Goldsworthy.
- Police received a tip-off about Freemanās location near Walwa, east of the property where he was found, and the source of the tip-off remains confidential.
- The Police Association Victoria stated Freemanās death was a 'step forward' but emphasized it did not lessen the trauma caused by the shootings or the loss of the officers' futures.
- ABC reported Freeman had posted anti-police sentiment on social media, including 'The only good cop is a dead cop' on Instagram and calls for the 'extermination' of politicians.
- A former friend of Freeman told ABC he had an 'arsenal' of weapons and speculated Freeman 'must've just lost it' when he killed the officers, blaming the sovereign citizen movement for radicalizing him.
- ABC highlighted Freemanās history of disputes with neighbors over land boundaries and access to Mount Buffalo National Park, as well as his involvement in a chaotic court protest against Premier Daniel Andrews.
- The ABC provided detailed descriptions of the two slain officers, including Neal Thompsonās plans for retirement and Vadim De Waart-Hottartās multilingual abilities and hobbies like scuba diving.
- The SMH reported Freeman was found at a 'large rural compound' in Walwa with multiple buildings including two shipping containers, a caravan, and several disused trucks and cars, based on satellite imagery.
- The SMH quoted a veteran detective saying, 'I think today is a good day, the sun is shining and Victoria Police will continue to serve the public the way those fallen officers were trying to do.'
- The Age confirmed Freeman was found at a sprawling property in Walwa with two shipping containers, a caravan, and several disused trucks and cars, based on satellite imagery.
- The Age reported Freeman was last seen in the Mount Buffalo area after the shootings and that police surveilled the property for several days before the standoff.
- Victorian Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny stated, 'The main thing is our thoughts, concerns and support are with the Porepunkah community and, of course, the families of the two police officers killed in that tragic incident.'
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian and ABC both describe Freemanās final hideout as a shipping container or a structure combining a shipping container and caravan, but the Guardian specifies it was a 'ramshackle camp' with multiple containers and portable dongas, while ABC and The Age focus on a single container or compound with additional buildings.
- The Guardian reports Freeman was found near Thologolong, while other sources like ABC and The Age mention Walwa as the location where Freeman was found, with some specifying the property was near the Victoria-NSW border.
- The Guardian states police believed Freeman was armed with a weapon taken from the officers he killed, but no other source confirms this specific detail about the weapon.
- The Age and SMH both report Freeman was found at a property with multiple buildings including shipping containers and a caravan, but only The Age explicitly mentions satellite imagery confirming this layout.
- ABC reports Freeman had an 'arsenal' of weapons according to a former friend, but this claim is not mentioned in any other source.
Source Articles
Dezi Freeman: what we know about the three-hour siege that led to the fugitive's death ā video
Fugitive Dezi Freeman, the man allegedly responsible for the shooting deaths of two police officers at Porepunkah, has been shot by police after a seven-month manhunt in rural Victoria. The Victoria p...
Dezi Freeman: Person who tipped off police about cop killer up for $1 million reward
After seven months on the run, it all might have come down to one tip-off....
Dezi Freeman killed in 'developing situation' at property in Victoria
Freeman had been wanted since last August over the fatal shooting of two police officers at Porepunkah....
Dezi Freeman shot dead by police
One of Australiaās biggest manhunts for alleged cop killer Dezi Freeman has ended months after the attack that shocked the nation....
An isolated property, a morning standoff and an armed fugitive: Dezi Freemanās final hours
Freeman is understood to have emerged from his hideout cloaked in a blanket or doona, which he dropped to reveal a weapon Dezi Freeman vanished in the mountain fog. Now heās been shot dead ā but many ...
Dezi Freeman shot dead by police more than seven months after Porepunkah shooting
The fugitive was shot at a rural property on Monday morning, police said....
Video reveals Freemanās deadly final act
Victoriaās top cop has shed major details behind the shooting of fugitive Dezi Freeman, after he was shot dead by police officers after months on the run....
A tip-off before a shootout: How Dezi Freemanās seven-month run came to an end
This was not a manhunt that ended in a high-speed chase. Instead, it arrived with a surreal, desperate confrontation at a rural property in the stateās northeast....
Seven months ago, Dezi Freeman vanished in the mountain fog. Now heās been shot dead ā but many questions remain
The āsovereign citizenā who killed two police officers had left in his wake a haze of rumours and misinformation Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast It seemed that Dezi Freema...
The troubled 'sovereign citizen' who became a notorious police killer
Before Dezi Freeman's death brought an end to a long manhunt, his friends say he was a troubled and divisive figure who was drawn to the anti-authority "sovereign citizen" movement....
Live: Porepunkah shooter Dezi Freeman shot dead by police
The 56-year-old had been a fugitive since a shooting at his property that killed two police officers....
What we know about the shooting of Dezi Freeman - podcast
Fugitive Dezi Freeman, the man allegedly responsible for the shooting deaths of two officers at Porepunkah, has been killed after a seven-month manhunt in rural Victoria. Reged Ahmad speaks to justice...
A tip-off before a shootout: How Dezi Freemanās seven-month run came to an end
This was not a manhunt that ended in a high-speed chase. Instead, it arrived with a surreal, desperate confrontation at a rural property in the stateās northeast....
Dezi Freeman shot dead by police after seven-month-long manhunt
Shooting occurred at a property in north-east Victoria after major manhunt for 56-year-old, who allegedly killed two police officers in Porepunkah Live updates: Australian fugitive Dezi Freeman shot d...
Who is Dezi Freeman and what did he do? What to know about the Australian fugitive shot dead by Victoria police
56-year-old āsovereign citizenā had been on the run after allegedly killing two police officers at Porepunkah in Australian alpine region in August Live updates: Australian fugitive Dezi Freeman shot ...
Dezi Freeman shooting live updates: Victoria police to give update on Australian fugitive shot dead after months-long manhunt
Porepunkah fugitive, 56, had been on the run after allegedly killing two police officers in Australian alpine region in August Full story: Dezi Freeman shot dead by police Get our breaking news email ...
The key moments in the long search for a police killer
Dezi Freeman fatally shot two officers and injured a third before he vanished into remote bushland. Here is what we know about the events leading up to the fatal shooting ā and the months-long manhunt...
Dezi Freeman shot dead by police after seven-month-long manhunt ā video
Victorian police have confirmed that fugitive Dezi Freeman has been killed after a manhunt lasting seven months in rural Victoria . Freeman, who police say did not surrender peacefully, is allegedly r...