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According to 9News, authorities were alerted to an associate of Dezi Freeman who frequently undertook the nearly 200km drive from Porepunkah to a town near the Victoria-NSW border.
Investigators utilized traffic surveillance to monitor the vehicle making this journey multiple times, eventually leading them to Freeman’s location.
Although the search for Freeman has concluded, law enforcement is now focusing on his network of associates.
Individuals who may have assisted in concealing Freeman or facilitated his transportation from Porepunkah to Thologolong could face penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
“We’re going to retrace our steps, working from yesterday backward, to identify those who aided him. Once identified, these individuals will be held accountable,” stated Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush.
One neighbour said she does not believe the owner of the Thologolong property would have been connected to Freeman.
“I don’t think so. He’s a quiet guy, he makes fertiliser with fish, that what he likes to do, no I don’t think so,” the neighbour said of the owner.
”I think I met him once, he’s a good friend of my husband.”
The owner has been living in eastern Tasmania since December and is battling a serious illness, The Age reports.
He has called a police station to make himself available whenever Victorian officers are ready to interview him, an anonymous friend told The Age.
The Age also reports the gate to the property had been left unlocked since January to allow the fire department access.
Police are expected to remain on scene for several days, combing across the property for traces of other people who may have been there recently.
Freemans body has been taken to Melbourne to be examined by the state coroner, who will hold independent review into his death.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today said the sovereign citizen movement has been a major concern for Australia’s intelligence services.
“The mentality of the sovereign citizens, the head of ASIO has made very clear, warning about what this ideology represents,” Albanese said.
“They don’t respect any processes, they regard the police and government and our entire society as not being legitimate.”
Freeman’s former friend Ray Kompe, who distanced himself from the 56-year-old father because of his extremist views, said there a small portion of the local Porepunkah community is mourning Freeman.
“I’ve got good friends and some of them had sympathy for him and of course there’s other ones who didn’t, Kompe said.
“With his sovereign citizen push, I dare say he felt an affinity for them and they felt an affinity for him.”
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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