Australian authorities have initiated a fresh, intensive five-day search operation for the body of the nation's most wanted man, Dezi Freeman, who is now strongly believed to be deceased. Victoria Police commenced the dragnet at daybreak on Monday, deploying cadaver dogs and specialist officers from across the country to scour the dense, high country terrain of Mount Buffalo National Park, approximately 300 kilometres northeast of Melbourne.
Latest Phase in Five-Month Manhunt
This renewed search effort marks the latest development in the protracted five-month manhunt for the 56-year-old fugitive. The pursuit began following the tragic fatal shootings of two police officers, Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart-Hottart, in late August. The officers were part of a team executing a warrant at Freeman's residence in the small Victorian town of Porepunkah.
Detective Inspector Adam Tilley addressed reporters at the scene, stating unequivocally that police do not believe Freeman remains in the area alive. "We are comfortable that we don't believe he is here alive... we do believe strongly, that he is in this area deceased," Det Tilley confirmed. Despite this conviction, investigators are maintaining an open mind, working on three primary scenarios: that Freeman is deceased within the national park, that he escaped the park and is being harboured by associates, or that he managed to flee the area entirely without assistance.
Shifting Focus to Recovery
In December, investigators publicly shifted their operational focus from capture to recovery, explicitly aiming to locate Freeman's body. A previous five-day search utilising cadaver dogs and aerial drones proved unsuccessful. The current search parameters have been refined based on firearms testing and intelligence regarding a gunshot heard shortly after the fatal August incident, concentrating efforts on a region adjacent to a previously probed area.
More than 400 police officers were deployed in the immediate aftermath of the killings, yet they failed to uncover any trace of Freeman, who was last seen fleeing into the dense alpine bushland. Detective Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, was tragically just one week from retirement, while Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 34, was on a temporary assignment to the region.
Unprecedented Reward and Community Impact
Victoria Police have offered a historic $1 million reward, the largest in the state's history for facilitating an arrest, alongside the possibility of indemnity for information leading to Freeman's capture. Taskforce Summit, established in October, has diligently investigated thousands of pieces of intelligence, including numerous public tip-offs.
Detective Inspector Tilley emphasised that finding Freeman remains the force's "number one priority." He expressed a deep commitment to providing resolution and comfort, stating, "What we want most is to see this through to resolution and hopefully provide answers and some level of comfort to Neal and Vadim's families, the other police impacted and the wider community."
The local community in Bright and surrounding districts has been closely monitoring developments. Marcus Warner, President of the Bright and District Chamber of Commerce, noted that while residents were surprised by news of another search, eagle-eyed locals had observed increased activity in town accommodation and cafes prior to the operation. "I think it will be obviously a bit of a morale boost and a psychological boost for the community that they're back searching," he remarked.
Freeman's wife, Mali, and a 15-year-old boy were previously arrested in connection with the case but were subsequently released without charge. Despite no confirmed sightings of the trained bush survivalist since the shooting, Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush has previously vowed that investigators would not relent until Freeman is found.
