Share and Follow
A man caught up in the hunt for alleged police killer Dezi Freeman has been cleared of any links to the fugitive after police descended on a rural Victorian property.
Thompson, 59, was just a week away from retiring, while Waart-Hottart, 34, was on temporary assignment to the area.
There has been no sign of Freeman since, despite hundreds of police scouring the area.
On Wednesday, attention turned to a new area about 100km away from his last known location.
Police searched a rural property at Goomalibee near Benalla and a man was intercepted at Undera near Shepparton as part of the probe.
However, Victoria Police has confirmed the unidentified man was not involved.
“He has been cleared of any link to our current investigation,” it said in a statement on Thursday.
Police on Thursday also provided an update on their search in Mount Buffalo National Park, revealing nearly 100 extra officers, as well as specialist dogs from Queensland, had been deployed for an additional sweep of the area.
“The Mount Buffalo National Park remains closed at the request of Victoria Police,” a spokesperson said.
“This decision is being constantly assessed and we will advise as soon as the park can re-open.”
Freeman, 56, was last seen shortly after the shooting, fleeing into bushland in the mountainous region.
Victoria Police senior constable Vadim de Waart (left) and detective leading senior constable Neal Thompson (right) were shot dead at Porepunkah on 26 August. Source: Supplied / Victoria Police
At the height of the operation, some 400 officers, including specialist teams from interstate and abroad, were out looking for him, however that number has since been scaled back to about 200.
More than 40 square kilometres of land has been searched on foot and by air.
Police previously flagged the possibility a member of the public knows Freeman’s whereabouts.
Anyone who sees him is urged not to approach him as he is considered armed and dangerous.
Victoria Police have offered a $1 million reward and the possibility of indemnity for information leading to his capture, the largest financial offer in the state’s history for facilitating an arrest.
“We will not give up until we find that person,” Victoria Police chief commissioner Mike Bush told reporters on Monday.
“This has really damaged our police service and the community and we are determined to bring this matter to a conclusion.”
Freeman’s wife, Mali, and a 15-year-old boy were previously arrested and released without charge.
Thousands of mourners in August paid their respects to both officers at funerals at the Victoria Police Academy in Melbourne’s east, and each man was buried with full police honours.
They were honoured at memorials earlier this week to mark National Police Remembrance Day, where their families and colleagues placed floral wreaths.
Freeman’s wife Mali and a 15-year-old boy were previously arrested and released without charge.
