Manhunt Scaled Back for Accused Killer Dezi Freeman

Police continue a scaled but active manhunt for fugitive Dezi (Desmond) Freeman after he allegedly shot dead Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart‑Hottart while a warrant was being executed at his Porepunkah property on August 26; there have been no confirmed sightings since he fled into dense alpine bushland. The operation has been reduced from roughly 450–500 officers at its peak to about 200 officers rotating through searches, investigations and community reassurance, with planned deployments including a major operation around Benalla about 85–100 km away. Victoria Police and assisting agencies, including interstate specialist teams and Australian Defence Force surveillance assets, have searched more than 40 square kilometres by foot and air and say they have received hundreds — by some counts more than 1,400 — public tips, none of which have produced a confirmed lead. Police have offered an A$1 million reward for information leading to Freeman’s arrest and conviction, described by authorities as the largest of its kind in Victorian history. Reporting notes Freeman is a trained bush survivalist and a self‑styled “sovereign citizen” who has had previous run‑ins with police and was reportedly once a person of interest in a 1998 double police murder. Memorials have been held for the slain officers and senior leaders say the search will continue until Freeman is found.