Police Arrest Two Men During Investigation into Dezi Freeman’s Movements
Victoria and New South Wales police have arrested two additional men as part of the ongoing investigation into Dezi Freeman, the shooter who killed two police officers in Porepunkah and remained on the run for seven months.
In a statement released on Tuesday, police disclosed that Freeman likely travelled between Victoria and New South Wales during the period between the August 2025 shooting and his discovery on 30 March 2026 at a remote property in Thologolong, near Walwa, situated on the Victoria-New South Wales border.
The extensive seven-month search for Freeman concluded with his location on the Thologolong property.
Authorities believe Freeman
“received assistance from a number of different people during that time.”
Detectives arrested the two men on Tuesday following searches conducted at seven properties across Victoria and New South Wales. These operations are part of Operation Summit, the investigation into the Porepunkah shooting.
Police served warrants shortly after 6:20 a.m. at rural properties in Buckland and Stanley, located in the high country near Porepunkah, as well as at Lucyvale, which lies further northeast towards the New South Wales border.
Simultaneously, New South Wales police executed warrants at four residences in Greenwich Park, Tarlo, Wombeyan Caves—all near Goulburn—and Umina Beach on the New South Wales Central Coast.
A 64-year-old man from Lucyvale was arrested in Wodonga and is scheduled for police interview. Additionally, a 47-year-old man from Wombeyan Caves was arrested in Greenwich Park on unrelated outstanding warrants.
Police stated that no further arrests have been made at this stage but that they are engaging with several individuals at the seven searched properties. Searches continued into Tuesday afternoon, during which authorities seized
“a range of electronic devices.”
This development follows the arrest of two other men in May by Taskforce Summit detectives; those individuals were subsequently released without charge.
Background of the Porepunkah Shooting
Dezi Freeman shot and killed Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, aged 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart, aged 35, and injured a third officer at a property in Porepunkah in August 2025.
The two officers were part of a group of ten police personnel—including local officers and members of the sexual offences and child abuse investigation team—who entered the property approximately 210 kilometers northeast of Melbourne on 26 August to serve a search warrant. Freeman opened fire on the group.
Freeman, aged 56, known for his association with pseudolaw or “sovereign citizen” ideology, fled into the bush heavily armed, triggering a high-profile manhunt.
Ongoing Investigation and Police Statements
Detective Inspector Anthony Gasparini from Taskforce Summit stated that since the fatal shooting in Porepunkah in August last year, police have been working
“tirelessly to piece together the events of the day”as well as tracking Freeman’s movements following the incident.
“The investigation does not stop simply because Freeman was located,”Gasparini said.
“We said from the outset that if alive, Freeman would likely need significant support to leave the area and survive over the following months. 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.
“We are keen to speak to anyone who may have information about Freeman’s movements in the seven months leading up to his death, including those in the areas where warrants have been conducted today.”
He urged anyone with knowledge of Freeman’s movements between August 2025 and March 2026 to contact Crime Stoppers.
