Victoria Police Search for Freeman's Remains in National Park

Police in Victoria's northeast have launched a five-day search operation in the dense bushland of Mount Buffalo National Park, targeting the area where they believe fugitive Dezi Freeman may have died after allegedly killing two officers more than five months ago. The effort, involving more than 100 officers, cadaver dogs, specialist units and air support, began on Monday and entered its second day as investigators combed a 1.3 square kilometer section of rugged terrain near Porepunkah.

Freeman, a 56-year-old self-declared sovereign citizen, has been missing since August 26, when he allegedly opened fire on a police team executing a search warrant at his Rayner Track property. The attack killed Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 34, and seriously wounded a third officer, who continues to recover. Freeman fled into the surrounding wilderness shortly after the shooting, last seen wearing dark green khaki tracksuit pants, a dark green rain jacket, brown Blundstone boots and reading glasses. No confirmed sightings or proof of life have emerged since.

The current search was prompted by intelligence about a single gunshot...