A one-million-dollar reward has been announced by Victoria police for information leading to the arrest of fugitive Dezi Freeman, but they have also given strict warnings to the public not to go searching after the alleged murder of two police officers in Porepunkah last month.
Detective Inspector Dean Thomas from the Homicide Squad says the reward of up to $1 million is the largest ever offered in Victoria for an arrest.
He told media yesterday morning that a number of “heavily armed” specialist police continued to search bushland in the Porepunkah area.
Freeman allegedly shot and killed the two officers when they were executing a search warrant at his residence on Rayner Track in Porepunkah in Victoria’s north-east on 26th August.
A third officer was seriously injured and is now recovering at home.
Freeman has been on the run since, and there have been no confirmed sightings of him since. However, Thomas added that the police remain open to all possibilities.
Since Freeman, also known as Desmond Filby, fled into the bush, speculation has swirled around how he has managed to hold out in the harsh alpine terrain.
Police also acknowledged the possibility that he is being harboured or helped by people in the community.
Locals and experts have speculated that he may be hiding down a mineshaft or in an underground bunker.
Over the past 12 days, a significant search for the alleged killer involving 450 police officers has been underway.
Police had scoured more than 100 properties in the area, although bad weather had hampered efforts.
The Australian military was called in to help and was providing a planning specialist and air surveillance assets at the request of Victoria police.
Source : The Guardian
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