Detectives revealed they believe police killer Dezi Freeman travelled into New South Wales during his time on the run as they today executed warrants at seven properties there and in Victoria, arresting two men.
Victoria Police’s Taskforce Summit is investigating the movements of Freeman during his seven months as a fugitive after he shot two Victoria Police officers at Porepunkah in August last year.
Detective Inspector Anthony Gasparini said investigators wanted to hear from anyone with knowledge of where Freeman was between then and March this year, when he was shot dead by police.
“We said from the outset that if alive, Freeman would likely need significant support to leave the area and survive over the following months,”
he said.
“To that end, we are looking to identify and hold to account those people who provided that support to harbour a wanted fugitive and have potentially committed serious offences themselves.”
They said police executed seven warrants at properties across Victoria and New South Wales this morning.
“Detectives believe he travelled between Victoria and NSW and received assistance from a number of different people during that time,” a police spokesperson said.
Vadim de Waart-Hottart and Neal Thompson were killed by Dezi Freeman in Porepunkah in August 2025. (Supplied: Police Veterans Victoria)
Three were served at rural properties in Buckland and Stanley, in the region near Porepunkah, as well as Lucyvale futher to the north-east of Victoria from just after 6:20am.
At the same time, warrants were executed by NSW Police at four residential properties in Greenwich Park, Tarlo and Wombeyan Caves, all near Goulburn south-west of Sydney, and Umina Beach on the NSW Central Coast.
A 64-year-old Lucyvale man was arrested in Wodonga and will be interviewed by police.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said searches of all the properties was continuing and police had seized a range of electronic devices.
Meanwhile, a 47-year-old Wombeyan Caves man was also arrested in Greenwich Park on unrelated outstanding warrants.
“There are no further arrests at this time, however police are speaking with a number of occupants at the various premises,” the police spokesperson said.
Freeman shot dead Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart in Porepunkah in Victoria’s north east in August.
The hideout where Dezi Freeman was shot dead in Thologolong in March. (ABC News)
He was fatally shot in March during a confrontation with police at a rural property at Thologolong on the Victoria-New South Wales border.
Inspector Gasparini said police were working to provide answers to the Thompson and de Waart-Hottart families as well as other police members affected by the shootings.
“We also have to consider the broader Porepunkah community who were affected for many months, as well providing a thorough response as part of the coronial investigation.”
“The investigation does not stop simply because Freeman was located.“
Two men were arrested in May and released without charge as investigations continued.
