On Monday, police provided an update on the manhunt for fugitive Dezi Freeman, urging anyone assisting him – or aware of those who are – to come forward. Police believe Freeman is receiving help to evade capture, though the number of potential accomplices is unclear.
Superintendent Brett Kahan announced a mobile police facility will be set up in Bright, seven kilometres east of Porepunkah, to encourage the public to share information. Police have repeatedly returned to Freeman’s home in Porepunkah, including today, as the search continues.
Police in Porepunkah on Monday.Joe Armao
Freeman, 56, is accused of shooting dead Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart, 35, and injuring a third officer while being served a warrant last Tuesday.
Freeman fled into dense bushland following the alleged ambush and has not been sighted since. Police said the search would not stop until Freeman was found, with more than 450 officers deployed to Victoria’s High Country.
On Sunday, Freeman’s wife, Mali, publicly urged her husband to surrender, but police have since questioned the extent of her co-operation. That same day, during the search effort a 61-year-old man was charged with possessing an imitation firearm.
Also on Sunday, a poster of Freeman was spotted at anti-immigration protests in South Australia, drawing condemnation from politicians and former officers. South Australia Police believe they have identified the man and are looking to speak with him.
6.25pm on Sep 1, 2025
SA Police identify protester with Freeman sign
By Hannah Hammoud
South Australian Police believe they have identified the man who held up a poster of alleged police killer Dezi Freeman at an anti-immigration protest in Adelaide on Sunday.
South Australia Police want to speak with the man who held a poster of an image of Dezi Freeman at an anti-immigration protest in Adelaide on Sunday.Getty Images
South Australia Police’s acting commissioner, Linda Williams, said officers could not locate the man at the time of the protest but have since identified him and were attempting to find him.
“This is a man who is wanted by Victoria Police for the shooting of two police officers whose families would no doubt have seen this image and would be likely distraught by what they have seen – as would every right-minded person – particularly every right-minded police officer,” Williams said.
“I can only underscore how outrageous that behaviour is on the face of it and that’s why seek to locate this man and speak to him about the behaviour.”
Williams said the man was likely to be charged with offensive behaviour.
5.44pm on Sep 1, 2025
In pictures: Scenes from Porepunkah
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Police have continued their search efforts for fugitive Dezi Freeman, the man accused of shooting dead two police officers last Tuesday in Victoria’s High Country.
Here are some images from our photographer Joe Armao on day seven of the manhunt in Porepunkah.
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3.28pm on Sep 1, 2025
Manhunt continues as police prepare to farewell fallen officers
By Hannah Hammoud
As police mourn the loss of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, Superintendent Brett Kahan has acknowledged the strain on the force’s resources.
“The resource commitment to this goes far beyond the search for Dezi Freeman,” he said.
“It’s not lost on me that we now have to also resource the funerals of two former colleagues on Monday and Friday. That alone is a significant resource drains whilst we continue the search for Dezi Freeman.”
The officers will be farewelled with full police honours at the Victorian Police Academy in Glen Waverley.
De Waart’s funeral will be held at 11am on Friday and Thompson’s at 11am next Monday.
Both services will be closed to the public and media.
3.16pm on Sep 1, 2025
Police will not stop until Freeman is found
By Hannah Hammoud
Superintendent Brett Kahan says police have searched hundreds of acres of difficult terrain since the force poured resources into Porepunkah and surrounding areas in the search for Dezi Freeman.
Kahan said police had received more than 450 pieces of information from the public that had assisted in their manhunt, and called for more people to contact Victoria Police.
Fallen officers Vadim De Waart (left) and Neal Thompson.
“There’s certain areas in and around that dense forest land which we know have previously been populated by the fugitive. If you know of any of those locations, please let the police know,” he said.
Freeman fled into dense bushland following last Tuesday’s shooting and has not been seen since.
Kahan vowed that police would not stop their search until Freeman was found, and said the force owed it to the two slain officers – Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart, 35 – who were allegedly killed by Freeman.
“We owe it to Vadim, and we owe it to Neal. And we owe it to not only the Victoria Police community – but the community at large,” he said.
“Because what we shouldn’t forget, is we’re looking for a person who killed two people.”
3.04pm on Sep 1, 2025
Police believe Freeman being helped by others
By Hannah Hammoud
Police have returned to Dezi Freeman’s Porepunkah home multiple times – including today – as they continue their search for the man accused of shooting dead two police officers.
The property where the shooting occurred.The Age
Superintendent Brett Kahan said police believe Freeman is being helped to evade police, though the number of individuals involved remains unclear. He appealed to those who know more to come forward.
“I’ll just extend that final offer to those that are harbouring or know of those that are harbouring Dezi Freeman to take up that offer, [by] whichever means you like, whether it be [calling] triple zero or otherwise, and we will formulate [an] appropriate surrender plan,” he said.
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2.57pm on Sep 1, 2025
Speaking with officers not the same as co-operating: police on Freeman’s wife
In a statement to the media via her lawyer on Sunday, Amalia Freeman, or “Mali”, expressed her “deep sorrow” at the deaths of two policemen allegedly killed by her husband on Tuesday.
However, Superintendent Brett Kahan on Monday called into question the level of co-operation Freeman’s wife had afforded police.
Dezi Freeman and his wife, Amalia (Mali) Freeman.Marija Ercegovac
“In respect to the suspect’s wife, what I’ll say, [is] it’s two different things to be speaking with police and co-operating [with police],” he said.
“We would invite full co-operation with police in respect to this double-murder investigation. If people such as the fugitive’s wife isn’t giving us full co-operation, I would encourage her to do so.”
2.53pm on Sep 1, 2025
Police issue plea for more information
By Hannah Hammoud
Superintendent Brett Kahan says the regional town of Bright – nearby Porepunkah – will be the site of a mobile police facility for the public to approach police and provide information on fugitive Dezi Freeman.
“Take that opportunity. They’ll be there daylight hours, every single day of the week, every single day of the weekend,” Kahan said.
Dezi Freeman pictured in 2018.Nine/A Current Affair
“So we invite you come forward. Give us anonymous information. We will act on it.”
Kahan said police were “actively hunting” for Freeman, and believe he is still alive and remains on the run.
“We have specialist resources scouring every neck of the woods for the fugitive, and they come from our specialist operation groups, our critical information response team and our interstate colleagues. But those frontline resources are offering the community that public reassurance that they need when a fugitive is out there,” he said.
“If you see those members driving around in marked police cars, take the opportunity to stop and say g’day, and offer whatever assistance you can, or any information you might have.”
2.48pm on Sep 1, 2025
Police urge others to come forward with information
By Hannah Hammoud
Police have called on anyone who is harbouring fugitive Dezi Freeman to come forward and contact police.
Speaking outside the Benalla police station on Monday, Superintendent Brett Kahan said anyone who was helping Freeman evade police was committing a crime, and urged them to ring triple zero.
“You are committing an extremely serious crime by harbouring or assisting in the escape of Dezi Freeman,” he said.
“People know the whereabouts of the person who’s killed two cops. People have chosen, for whatever reason, not to come forward, and I’m taking this time to appeal to you to come forward in that respect.”
A police helicopter flies over Mount Buffalo National Park searching for Dezi Freeman.Joe Armao
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2.34pm on Sep 1, 2025
Watch: Police provide update
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Superintendent Brett Kahan provided an update on the police manhunt for Dezi Freeman earlier this afternoon in the regional city of Benalla, an hour west of Porepunkah.