Fresh Lead in Porepunkah Police Killer Manhunt
Victoria Police have launched a new line of inquiry in the extensive search for alleged police killer Desmond “Dezi” Freeman, following reports of a single gunshot heard in the Porepunkah bushland. The force conducted "firearms testing" near Barrett Lane and Rayner Track on Wednesday, hoping to gain new evidence.
The Alleged Shooting and Manhunt
This testing was prompted by accounts of a gunshot heard at approximately 11.45 am on 26 August. This was just over an hour after Freeman allegedly opened fire on a group of ten police officers who were serving a warrant at his Porepunkah home at around 10.30am. The shooting tragically resulted in the deaths of Detective Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, while a third officer was wounded.
Freeman subsequently fled into the dense bushland near Porepunkah, located about 300km north-east of Melbourne. Despite what has been described as the "largest ever" tactical police operation in the area, involving hundreds of officers and specialist interstate and international crews, no confirmed trace of him has been found since.
An Extensive but Frustrating Search
The scale of the operation has been immense. Detectives have investigated more than 1,700 tip-offs from the public without success. The active search was scaled back to over 200 officers in September, and the Mount Buffalo national park was reopened to the public in late October.
Victoria Police released a statement confirming, "The area has since been searched by police, however no trace of Freeman was located." They added that investigators are hopeful the firearms testing may provide a breakthrough. Authorities are now appealing to anyone who was in the area and may have heard the gunshot to come forward.
Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush has outlined several possibilities being considered, stating, "Is he still alive? We don't know. Is he alive and still in the area? We have no real information to suggest that. Or has he been unable to leave the area and is being looked after by others? We don't know."
In a significant move to apprehend Freeman, Victoria Police have offered a $1 million reward, the largest in the state's history for facilitating an arrest, along with the possibility of indemnity from prosecution. The public is strongly advised to remain vigilant and not to approach Freeman, who is considered armed and extremely dangerous.
