MANHUNT FOR ‘COP KILLER’ DEZI FREEMAN INTENSIFIES: 450 POLICE OFFICERS DEPLOYED IN ‘JUNGLE-LIKE’ VICTORIAN BUSHLAND
- Travellers warned to avoid Porepunkah and surrounding areas as police search for accused cop killer Dezi Freeman enters its 10th day
- Freeman’s wife Amalia may face charges of obstructing police after being interviewed over her role in the incident that left two police officers dead
- Military assets, including a planning specialist and aerial surveillance, join the manhunt in the “jungle-like” bushland of Victoria’s high country
Victoria Police have issued a dire warning to travellers planning to head to Bright, Falls Creek or Mount Hotham in the state’s high country, urging them to avoid the area and take alternative routes as the hunt for accused cop killer Dezi Freeman enters its 10th day.
The search effort has been ramped up, with 450 police officers from the Specialist Operations Group, Fugitive Squad and VIPER taskforce descended upon Porepunkah and surrounding towns, making it one of the largest and most intense manhunts in recent memory.
In a chilling development, Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed that military assets, including a planning specialist and aerial surveillance, would join the police operation. Retired Australian Defence Force general Mick Ryan believes the military’s experience in operating in “jungle country” could prove crucial in the ongoing search.
“It’s certainly not unprecedented, and the Australian Constitution and federal law allows for such support to take place,” General Ryan said, warning that the operation would be a tough one for police. “Well, it looks like pretty tough country there. I think it also shows that, you know, we’ve got this expectation from the war in Ukraine that drones allow us to see everything. Well, in this kind of country, that’s not quite the case.”
The search is taking place in a “jungle-like” environment, making it a challenging operation for authorities. Meanwhile, Freeman’s wife Amalia, who was at the property when the two police officers were shot dead, may face charges of obstructing police. Crime Command Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly said a brief of evidence would be compiled, and she may be charged in due course.
In a statement through her lawyer, Amalia Freeman expressed her “deep sorrow” at the deaths of the two police officers and denied holding anti-authority views. The community remains on high alert, with police urging anyone with information to come forward. “The advice for the local community remains the same – stay vigilant around your surroundings, report anything suspicious, and if you see Desmond, call triple zero immediately,” Victoria Police said.