Police offer $1m reward to catch police killer fugitive Dezi Freeman
Police have offered a whopping $1m reward for information leading to the capture of Dezi Freeman, saying they hope it may lure some of the wanted man’s associates to come forward.
Hundreds of the High Country’s caves and goldmines are being searched by specialist police hunting cop killer Dezi Freeman, who now has a $1m bounty on his head.
The Saturday Herald Sun exclusively revealed police would this weekend announce the extraordinary sum for any information that leads to the fugitive’s arrest.
Officers Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart-Hottart were murdered at Porepunkah while they were carrying out a raid at his bush property on August 26.
Despite the “hundreds” of tips from the public since that fateful day, there have been no confirmed sightings of the sovereign citizen.
Detectives on Saturday, for the first time, publicly confirmed they were searching the countless number of old goldmines and caves scattered across the High Country.
Homicide Squad detective inspector Dean Thomas, who confirmed the $1m reward was on offer, said highly-skilled, armed police were exploring the old mines for Freeman.
Inspector Thomas said one of the many possibilities was the the fugitive was potentially hiding underground.
He said the suspect could have also shot himself dead or could be hiding with an associate.
“We are open to the fact that he may still very well be in bushland,” he said.
“He is believed to know the area extremely well. The countryside is littered with caves with mineshafts, and he is believed to be very, very capable in the bush.
“They are continually being searched. We continue to clear the mineshafts (and) caves by our experts out there.
“So we continue to believe that he is alive, but we are open to the option that he may be deceased at his own hand.
“We have a number of specialist units from across Victoria Police that are assisting with the search, they are heavily armed and they are out there in the hope that we can locate Freeman.”
The veteran cop said it was also possible that Freeman was being assisted by a network of associates or supporters.
And while he said there was no information to lead them to believe Freeman had left the region or the state, that was also still a possibility.
“It’s an option that is open,” he added.
“It’s possible that they could be assisting him.”
Inspector Thomas insisted the $1m reward — which is the largest financial offer in Victoria Police’s history — was not a last-ditch effort.
He said he would “strongly oppose” members of the public actively hunting Freeman with the hopes of securing the huge sum.
“It’s not an act of desperation and it’s far from it,” he added.
“It is just another avenue.”
He said police wanted to arrest Freeman to bring him before the courts.
“While the offering of a reward for a murder investigation is not unusual in itself, what sets this apart is that this reward is for arrest and not conviction — and it is the largest reward ever offered for an arrest in Victoria,” he said.
“This figure recognises the seriousness of this violent offending and our commitment to locating Freeman as soon as possible so that he is no longer a risk to the broader community.
“There is no doubt that up to a million dollars is a life changing amount of money for anyone and has the potential to completely change their circumstances.
“Freeman has killed two people and injured a third, and it’s immensely important that we can bring him into custody safely as soon as possible – hopefully this reward helps do just that.”
On Friday, Freeman’s longtime friend Ray Kompe, 72, became the latest acquaintance to be searched by police.
Speaking with media following a raid at his Porepunkah home on Friday morning, Mr Kompe said he had been approached by police in recent days because he was once “great friends” with the now armed and dangerous fugitive.
“I knew Dezi a long, long time ago … about 10 years ago was the last time I saw him,” he said.
He said he had become “great friends” with Freeman, adding the pair had toured around Mount Buffalo decades ago, an experience that had been some sort of “epiphany” for Freeman.
Mr Kompe claims he was the one who taught Freeman “bushcraft” skills and had opened his passion for the bush, but the pair had since fallen out.
He urged the fugitive to hand himself in.
“He’s a bloke with a lot of resolve and when he puts his mind into something, there’s just no holding him back,” he said.
“There’s Mali, there’s his friends and life’s too short, just give yourself up mate.”
Freeman’s wife Amalia and their 15-year-old son could face charges for obstructing the investigation after they were arrested on August 28 and released pending further inquiries.
Days later, 61-year-old Stephen Mallett’s home was raided over his suspected links to Freeman, but he claimed he had never met the armed gunman.
Police have regularly swarmed his bush hideout where the fatal shooting unfolded.
Police have made it clear they regard Freeman as armed and dangerous and the fact the massive search operation is still centred on the Porepunkah area – along with safety warnings which remain in place – has reinforced the high possibility he is still somewhere in the hills.
Some normally relaxed locals are taking no chances as they daily see heavily armed specialist police moving about.
One said he hadn’t locked his house or car for 30 years but that had changed since the events of the morning of August 26, and he isn’t the only one.
“It’s changed the whole mood of the place,” the resident said.
There is concern in the community at the long-term damage Freeman’s actions might inflict.
One local said there were already signs people were avoiding the area and that might not change until Freeman is caught or proven to be dead.
A VicEmergency alert issued on Thursday warned: “Victoria Police are searching for an armed and dangerous offender Desmond Freeman (Filby) in the area of Porepunkah. Travel in the area should be restricted to essential activities only”.
