Snow in High Country as search for accused police killer Dezi Freeman enters fifth day

3 weeks ago 8

One of the biggest manhunts in Victorian history has entered its fifth day with snow visible in the High Country as hundreds of police officers search for accused double murderer Dezi Freeman.

As wild weather buffeted much of the state, the town of Porepunkah awoke on Saturday to clearer skies than on Friday, when authorities revealed Freeman’s wife and son had been questioned about Tuesday’s shooting deaths of officers Neal Thompson and Vadim De Waart.

Snow capped peaks were visible from Porepunkah on Saturday as police look for accused double murderer Dezi Freeman.

Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said more than 450 police were now in the search zone while the alleged gunman remained at large in rugged and remote terrain.

“We are not leaving here until this person is in custody,” Bush said on Friday.

If he is still in the Mount Buffalo area, Freeman endured near freezing temperatures overnight.

“[It’s] very cold this morning, snow above 700 metres, and then blizzard conditions are facing anyone sort of up about Mount Buffalo National Park,” said Jonathan How, a senior meteorologist from the Bureau of Meteorology.

“But we are expecting a very cold night tonight, with a clearing sky, so frost is expected and potentially black ice on the roads for people up there.

“So [it’s] not a very pleasant sort of set of conditions.”

Specialist police, including an armoured “BearCat” truck, reconvened at a command post at a winery on the outskirts of Porepunkah early on Saturday morning.

A police helicopter landed at 9.30am. It flew from Melbourne over the alpine region, according to FlightRadar24 data.

On Friday, the chief commissioner revealed officers had “considered but not requested” specialist police before they served a sex abuse warrant on Freeman, a self-proclaimed sovereign citizen with known hatred of the force and access to firearms.

Bush again urged the fugitive to turn himself in and warned sympathisers against helping his escape.

Developments in the hunt for Freeman came as senior police expressed frustration that their resources would be further strained by protests planned in Melbourne on Sunday.

Bush confirmed a risk assessment before Tuesday’s ambush, which claimed the lives of officers Thompson, 59, and De Waart, 35, had not sparked a call for Special Operations Group assistance.

Fallen officers Vadim De Waart (left) and Neal Thompson.

Thompson was killed when Freeman allegedly opened fire with a home-made shotgun through the door of a bus he was living in on a Rayner Track property, on the outskirts of Porepunkah beneath Mount Buffalo.

Freeman then opened a window and allegedly shot De Waart and also injured a third officer, who took shelter under the bus after he was wounded. He is recovering in hospital after undergoing further surgery on Friday.

Funerals for the slain police will take place with full honours at the Victoria Police Academy in Glen Waverley. De Waart will be farewelled on Friday and Thompson on September 8.

Police took Freeman’s wife, Mali, 42, and their 15-year-old son into custody during a nighttime operation in Porepunkah on Thursday.

Bush said the pair were interviewed “specifically in relation to the homicide” and released.

“There may or may not be charges that follow,” Bush said.

The chief commissioner said there had been alleged sightings of Freeman since his escape, but none had been confirmed.

Bush made a direct appeal to Freeman, who reportedly has considerable bush survival skills.

“If that person is listening, it really is time to lay down your firearms and give yourself up so that we can all bring this to a safe conclusion,” Bush said.

“The number one priority for Victoria Police is to find the person who murdered our officers.”