After a seven-month pursuit, police ended the manhunt for Dezi Freeman with a brutal shootout in northeast Victoria. Authorities reportedly fired at him up to 20 times as he exited a hideout—a caravan modified from a shipping container—at a rural property in Thologolong, armed with a weapon stolen from one of the police officers he had previously killed in Porepunkah.
Prior to the confrontation, members of the Special Operations Group had spent three hours trying to negotiate a peaceful surrender, but tensions escalated quickly. Freeman, 56, had been under surveillance, with police tracking a vehicle linked to him as it frequently travelled the nearly 200-kilometre route between Porepunkah and Thologolong.
Utilising traffic cameras, investigators monitored the car’s movements until it led them to Freeman’s location. The shootout occurred early on a Monday morning after days of observation. Although he was armed, it remains unclear whether Freeman fired at the police during the incident.
Freeman’s body has been sent to Melbourne for examination by the state coroner, who will conduct a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding his death. A formal identification process is currently underway.
While police continue to comb the property for evidence, they are investigating possible assistance Freeman may have had while evading capture. Authorities have indicated that it would be challenging for someone to remain in hiding for so long without support. Those who helped him could face severe penalties, potentially up to 20 years in prison.
Chief Commissioner Mike Bush confirmed that the investigation would include an effort to identify accomplices, stating their intention to trace Freeman’s movements backward and hold any individuals who assisted him accountable.