The dramatic saga of Dezi Freeman, who spent months evading law enforcement before his death, is set to be the focal point of a highly anticipated inquest.
Unanswered questions linger regarding the tragic deaths of Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart and Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson. Additionally, there is scrutiny over how Freeman managed to elude capture for so long after fleeing his property in Porepunkah, located 310 kilometers northwest of Melbourne.
The officers were attempting to execute a warrant after allegations surfaced against Freeman, accusing him of sexually assaulting a child and attempting to involve a child in the creation of child abuse material. These details were revealed during a session at the Coroners Court on Monday.
After a seven-month pursuit, authorities finally located the 56-year-old fugitive in a secluded shipping container in Victoria’s remote northeast region.
Lindsay Spence, the counsel assisting the state coroner, mentioned that police intelligence had pinpointed Freeman’s hideout in Thologolong roughly a week before his demise.
On the morning of March 30, around 5:30 am, police launched their operation. Freeman was spotted about an hour later, wrapped in a doona or blanket, marking the final chapter of his life on the run.
Over several hours, multiple attempts were made to negotiate to no avail.
At one point, Spence said Freeman appeared erratic, drank from a bottle and said “come have a beer with me and we’ll talk about it”.
Freeman later emerged from a shipping container with a green bag covering his hands, before dropping the bag and revealing a firearm.
Special Operations Group officers believed Freeman fired at them.
Eight officers fired multiple rounds at Freeman, who fell to the ground.
His weapon was later confirmed as the police-issued handgun of de Waart-Hottart.
An inquiry will need to rely on police testimony and footage captured from a police Air Wing helicopter as a court heard officers were not equipped with body-worn cameras or similar recording devices at the time.
Freeman did activate the voice memos function on his mobile phone, capturing 23 minutes of audio from inside the shipping container.
State Coroner Liberty Sanger is holding separate inquests looking at the deaths of the two police officers and the final shootout involving Freeman.
A coronial brief related to the officers’ deaths is set to be delivered by August 21.
Police are expected to provide a brief of evidence regarding the Freeman case to the coroner by October 30.
A formal inquest could be scheduled for March 2027.
