Sources have informed 9News that police were tipped off about a person closely associated with Dezi Freeman who frequently undertook the nearly 200-kilometer journey from Porepunkah to a town near the Victoria-New South Wales border.

Using traffic cameras, detectives were able to trace the vehicle making this trip multiple times, ultimately leading them to Freeman’s whereabouts.

“They disregard any established processes and view the police, government, and our entire society as illegitimate,” said a source familiar with the investigation.

Ray Kompe, a former friend of Freeman who distanced himself due to Freeman’s extremist beliefs, noted that a small segment of the Porepunkah community is in mourning over Freeman.

“I have friends who sympathized with him, and of course, others who did not,” Kompe explained.

“Given his commitment to the sovereign citizen movement, it’s likely he felt a connection with them, and they with him,” Kompe added.

Kompe claims his relationship with Freeman deteriorated when the self-described sovereign citizen started showing him graphic combat videos.

“I said ‘listen, I know that exists but why watch it?’ And he said ‘because it’s the reality of life’,” Kompe said.

“That’s why I just decided it might be best if we terminate our friendship.”

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