Victoria Police have mobilized what they describe as the largest tactical policing operation in the nation’s history to find a fugitive suspected of killing two officers during a warrant raid. The massive search, centered on the alpine town of Porepunkah, has now stretched into its third week, leaving the local community unsettled.
On August 26, 2025, officers executed a search warrant at a rural property near Porepunkah in northeast Victoria. During the operation, the suspect, identified as Desmond “Dezi” Freeman, allegedly opened fire. Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, aged 59, and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 35, were killed. A third officer was seriously wounded. Freeman fled into the surrounding bushland and has not been seen since.
Police say the scale of the manhunt is unprecedented. More than 125 specialist officers from across Australia and New Zealand are involved. The rugged landscape of Mount Buffalo and the Danube-like valleys has made the task particularly challenging, with searches spanning caves, gorges, mineshafts, plantations and abandoned properties. Authorities have received over 1,100 tips from the public since announcing a one-million-dollar reward for information leading to Freeman’s arrest.
Restrictions were quickly placed on travel around Porepunkah, with Mount Buffalo National Park closed to visitors. Some of those restrictions have since been eased, but the town remains under heavy police presence. Residents and businesses are reporting sharp declines in tourism and a lingering sense of fear.
Conflicting theories surround Freeman’s fate. Some investigators believe he may still be hiding in the alpine wilderness, while others suspect he may have received outside help or could already be dead. For now, the official position is that he remains armed and dangerous, and authorities are urging the public to stay vigilant.
Police insist the scale of the search is justified both by the nature of the crime and the risks involved in capturing a suspect believed to be highly volatile. The deaths of two officers have left Victoria Police shaken, and tributes continue to flow for the men killed in the line of duty. For residents of Porepunkah, however, life remains on hold as the largest tactical policing operation in Australian history continues around them.
