Nearly three months after the tragic killing of two officers in Victoria’s highlands, a new twist has emerged. A Melbourne resident has come forward, claiming to have seen the elusive Desmond Freeman, the prime suspect, in South Africa.
This individual reportedly contacted Crime Stoppers, asserting that he encountered Freeman in Cape Town. During the encounter, the two allegedly locked eyes before Freeman made a quick escape.
Despite this potentially significant lead, skepticism remains. Former police detective Charlie Bezzina expressed doubts about the validity of the claim.
“Dezi Freeman isn’t known to be a sophisticated criminal,” Bezzina shared in an interview with Today. “It’s unlikely he has the network needed to secure a false passport. Plus, he would need to bypass the stringent facial recognition technology at Australian departure points.”
“This guy Dezi Freeman is not an organised criminal,” Bezzina told Today.
“He wouldn’t have the connections, I wouldn’t believe, to get a false passport. Then you’ve got to get past facial recognition at all areas of departure in Australia.”
“I’ll be very surprised if he’s able to get out of the country.”
Freeman, 56, has not been seen since August 26, when police officers Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart-Hottart were shot dead at his home at Porepunkah in regional Victoria.
“Chief Commissioner Bush has certainly made it quite clear that they’re not going to give up,” Bezzina said.
“Clearly, he wouldn’t have survived this length of time in the bush if he’s self-sufficient, even if he is hunting or gathering his own food source.”
“But, how long is a piece of string?”
The two officers were part of a team executing a search warrant on Freeman’s property. A third officer was also wounded.
A $1 million reward has been offered for information leading to Freeman’s arrest.
