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Major shift in manhunt for fugitive Dezi Freeman

Police have begun a fresh five-day search for accused cop-killer Dezi Freeman in north-eastern Victoria.

Police have begun a fresh five-day search for accused cop-killer Dezi Freeman in north-eastern Victoria. Photos: Supplied/AAP

A new task force has been assembled to lead the search for fugitive Dezi Freeman, two months after he allegedly shot and killed two police officers.

Freeman, who also goes by Desmond Filby, has been on the run after allegedly shooting dead officers Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart-Hottart while they served a warrant at his home in Porepunkah, about 300km north-east of Melbourne.

For more than two months, hundreds of police have been involved in the manhunt, with more than 400 officers deployed in the hours and days after the killings in August.

The search was scaled back to more than 200 police in September.

Detectives from the Crime Command, Fugitive Squad, Armed Crime Squad, VIPER Taskforce, Special Operations Group, Search and Rescue, and local air-wing members will officially take over the ongoing search on Friday.

Taskforce Summit will be led by a detective from the Crime Command State Anti-Gangs division, based in the Great Alpine area, Victoria Police said.

“Victoria Police remains committed to using every available resource and the necessary capabilities to find Freeman,” Assistant Commissioner Martin O’Brien said.

“This investigation is far from over.”

Detective Senior Constable Thompson, 59, was just a week away from retiring, while Senior Constable de Waart-Hottart, 34, was on temporary assignment to the area.

Searchers have been hampered by the rugged bushland. Photo: Victoria Police

Since August 26, hundreds of officers and specialist resources, including interstate and international crews, have scoured dense bushland, including large parts of the Mount Buffalo National Park, for Freeman.

The park will fully reopen to the public on Friday, with staff patrols continuing.

Detectives have investigated more than 1700 tip-offs but none have led investigators to Freeman.

People in the area have been advised to remain vigilant and not approach the fugitive, who is considered armed and dangerous.

Victoria Police have offered a $1 million and the possibility of indemnity for information leading to his capture, the largest reward in the state’s history for facilitating an arrest.

“We do believe it will only be brought to resolution through assistance from members of the public,” O’Brien said.

“This could be sightings of Freeman, information you’re hearing in your local communities, even suspicious activity on your property.”

AAP

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