One of Australia’s largest-ever police operations has entered its second month, with double police killer Dezi Freeman still on the run 31 days after fatally shooting two officers.
The 56-year-old fugitive opened fire on Detective Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart on August 26 at his converted minibus home near Mount Buffalo, before fleeing into the bush with their service weapons. Despite the deployment of up to 400 officers a day, extensive raids, and roadblocks, the manhunt has so far drawn a blank.
Victoria Police have not ruled out any scenario: that Freeman is being harboured, that he took his own life, or that he managed to escape interstate in the confusion after the killings. His wife, Mali, and their 15-year-old son were arrested days after the shooting and are being investigated for obstructing the search, but no confirmed sightings of Freeman have been made since the attack.
Freeman’s survival skills make him a formidable fugitive. Relatives describe him as a “real-life Rambo” with intimate knowledge of Victoria’s high country, able to vanish into caves, mine shafts, or huts. Police say this bushcraft has given him an edge over even the most experienced tactical teams.
A $1 million reward for information has prompted more than 1000 tip-offs from the public. Still, the entire Mount Buffalo National Park remains closed, and a no-fly zone has been enforced, with authorities warning Freeman is “heavily armed” and a serious risk to aircraft.
Local communities, particularly Porepunkah, have slowly returned to normal life after weeks of fear and disruption. Yet, with every day that passes, the central question deepens: is Freeman still alive and hiding, or has Australia’s most wanted man already slipped beyond the reach of justice?
