Dezi Freeman Manhunt Reaches 38 Days: Desperate Cop Killer ‘Will Emerge Soon’ in Desperate Bid for Survival
- Alleged double cop killer Dezi Freeman remains on the run, with a $1 million reward and large-scale manhunt yielding no results
- Former federal detective warns residents near Mount Buffalo National Park to be vigilant, as Freeman may surface out of desperation for necessities like food and water
- Residents told to report any unusual activity, no matter how minor, as it could lead to meaningful intelligence in solving the case
It’s been 38 days since Dezi Freeman allegedly gunned down two police officers and seriously injured a third at his property in Porepunkah, northeast Victoria. Despite a massive manhunt involving 450 officers, including Australian Defence Force personnel, and hi-tech equipment, the self-proclaimed sovereign citizen remains at large.
Former federal detective superintendent Dr David Craig, who has 22 years of policing experience, has warned that Freeman will become desperate and emerge soon in search of necessities to ensure his survival. “Locals need to be very vigilant in relation to anything that doesn’t look right,” he told news.com.au.
Dr Craig, who has been involved in several high-profile manhunts, including the case of New Zealand fugitive Tom Phillips, said that it’s the small, unusual occurrences that could lead to Freeman’s capture. “Food has been taken out of fridges… a rope has been taken from garages, just things that they might need to supplement the way he’s existing,” he said.
Residents near Mount Buffalo National Park have been told to keep a close eye on personal items, as Freeman may surface out of desperation. “Anything that’s odd in the Porepunkah area, anything at all — and he may not even be there, and he may be dead — but if he is there and he resurfaces, there’ll be a reason he’s coming out,” Dr Craig said.
Police have received over 1400 tips, but Dr Craig described the figure as “quite small” and stressed that residents should not be worried about whether their report was significant or not. “Let the police worry about whether it’s important,” he said.
The large operation hunting for Freeman has seen some significant movement, with police raiding a property in Goomalibee and intercepting a man about 80km further west. However, both the man and property were cleared in relation to the Freeman hunt.
More than 200 officers remain in the Porepunkah area, with an extra 100 Public Order Response Team crews joining the operation. Cadaver dogs, trained to find missing people or human remains, have also been deployed.
Freeman, a known survivalist and lover of the outdoors, has been described as thriving in the bush. However, the dense bushland and single-digit temperatures have made the search challenging.
Dr Craig said that he doesn’t see the operation ending, despite the cost to taxpayers. “I think they will reduce it to a small, multidisciplinary task force, which is basically everyone they’ve got there at the moment but just less of them,” he said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.