I’m Ainsley Koch for 7NEWS Australia, reporting from Victoria’s High Country as the search for Dezi Freeman enters its 13th night. New details have emerged about the day Freeman is accused of opening fire and killing two police officers in Port Punker, and the community remains on edge.
Table of Contents
- Overview of events
- The search effort and the bounty
- State of mind: missed appointment and rising concerns
- Family, friends and public views
- Police investigation and community response
- Honouring a fallen officer
- Key takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Where to follow updates
Overview of events
Police searches across the high country have continued with no sign of the fugitive. Since a $1 million bounty was announced, investigators have received roughly 100 tip-offs. Authorities acted on one of those leads today, searching a property about five minutes from where Freeman was last seen two weeks ago, but the search was unsuccessful.
The search effort and the bounty
Extensive ground and air searches remain underway. The announcement of a $1 million bounty overnight generated a steady stream of reports — about 100 to date — and led police to comb through properties in the area. While that response produced leads and targeted searches, none have yet located Freeman.
What the tip-offs produced
One tip-off brought officers to a property earlier today, approximately five minutes from the last confirmed sighting of Freeman. The search at that location was thorough but ultimately yielded no arrests.
State of mind: missed appointment and rising concerns
New information paints a troubling picture of Freeman’s state of mind in the lead-up to the shootings. He was scheduled to see a doctor about what friends described as “spiralling mental health,” but he never made the appointment.
"He was meant to see a doctor about his spiralling mental health, but Dezi Freeman never made it to his appointment. Instead, opening fire on police on that very same day."
This missed appointment has become a focal point for those trying to understand what happened that day. A close family friend of Freeman’s wife, Marley, told 7NEWS how Marley had finally convinced Freeman to seek help.
"She just said we were going to go and see a doctor finally. I can't imagine somebody with a strong personality like him that would have been an easy task, so I would suggest that she had to do a little bit of work to get him to agree to that."
Family, friends and public views
The same family friend described the shock and disbelief within the social circle around Marley and Freeman.
"When somebody told me that this had happened and they said, ‘oh Dezi's done something terrible,’ I'm like, look, like what? What could he possibly have done?"
Freeman identified himself in public as a self-proclaimed “sovereign citizen” and had spoken openly about his distrust of police and government. That stance led some family members and friends to distance themselves. The family friend told 7NEWS there was no indication Marley shared those extremist views.
"In the whole probably five years I've known Marley, I've never heard her say a bad word about the police. I've never heard her bring up these conversations about the government."
Police investigation and community response
Police say Marley, the mother of three, has so far not been cooperating with the investigation. Despite the proximity of searches to her home and the intense scrutiny, the family friend suggested Marley is focused on her children and trying to "put her life back together."
"She's not concerned about him in any way. It's like the police need to do what they need to do. Right now she's getting on with things so she can put her life back together, I suppose, and she's got children, so she's got to put them first."
The town of Bright and surrounding communities have been left reeling. Flags flew at half-mast as locals mourned the officers lost in the shooting.
Honouring a fallen officer
Tomorrow, colleagues and loved ones will gather to farewell Detective Senior Constable Neil Thompson. A funeral service will be held at the Police Academy in Melbourne from 11am, followed by a police guard of honour.
Key takeaways
- Searches for Dezi Freeman have continued into a 13th night with no confirmed sighting.
- A $1 million bounty prompted roughly 100 tip-offs and a significant search that produced no capture.
- Freeman was due to see a doctor about worsening mental health the day of the shootings but did not attend the appointment.
- Family and friends remain shocked; Freeman’s wife Marley is reported not to share his anti-police views and is focused on her children.
- The community is in mourning, with official tributes and a funeral planned for Detective Senior Constable Neil Thompson.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is Dezi Freeman?
Dezi Freeman is the man accused of shooting and killing two police officers in Port Punker. He has described himself as a sovereign citizen and has expressed anti-government and anti-police views in the past.
What has the police response been?
Police have conducted extensive ground and aerial searches in Victoria’s High Country, acting on about 100 tip-offs since a $1 million bounty was announced. One property search near Freeman’s last known location was completed today but did not find him.
Was Freeman supposed to see a doctor?
Yes. According to family and friends, Freeman was meant to attend a medical appointment regarding his spiralling mental health the day he allegedly opened fire, but he never made the appointment.
Is Freeman’s partner cooperating with police?
Authorities say Marley, Freeman’s wife and mother of three, has not been cooperating with the investigation. Friends indicate she does not share Freeman’s extremist views and is focused on caring for her children.
How has the community reacted?
The local community has been deeply affected. Flags in Bright were lowered to half-mast and tributes have been planned. A funeral for Detective Senior Constable Neil Thompson will be held at the Police Academy in Melbourne.
Where to follow updates
For ongoing coverage and official updates, follow 7NEWS Australia and local police briefings. I will continue reporting live from the high country as new information becomes available.
