Victoria police have arrested and interviewed the wife of Dezi Freeman, the suspect in the fatal shooting of two police officers in Porepunkah. The 42-year-old woman and a 15-year-old boy were taken into custody during a raid on Thursday night but were released pending further inquiries.
The manhunt for Freeman, 56, also known as Desmond Filby, entered its fourth day on Friday. He allegedly shot and killed Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35, and injured a third officer on Tuesday morning when they attempted to execute an arrest warrant at a rural property.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush appealed directly to Freeman to surrender. 'If that person is listening, it really is time to lay down your firearms and give yourself up,' he said. The operation involves more than 450 officers from multiple states and the Australian Federal Police.
There have been no confirmed sightings of Freeman since the shooting. Police have conducted multiple raids in the Porepunkah area, and the Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the region.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed federal support, stating, 'This guy clearly is dangerous... we want him caught.' A former neighbour reported that Freeman had an intimate knowledge of the bush and had used drones to spy on her family.
