POREPUNKAH — Dezi Bird Freeman was found on a remote property in Thologolong, near Walwa, on the Victoria-New South Wales border on 30 March. He died after being shot by police. This event concluded a seven-month manhunt following the fatal shooting of two police officers and the injury of a third officer in Porepunkah in August 2025.

Police believe Freeman traveled between Victoria and New South Wales during the period following the August 2025 shootings. Police stated that Freeman received assistance from multiple people during that time. The police investigation into Freeman's movements was named Operation Summit.

Detectives arrested two men on Tuesday after searching seven properties across Victoria and New South Wales. Warrants were served just after 6:20 a.m. at rural properties in Buckland, Stanley, and Lucyvale in Victoria. New South Wales police executed warrants at homes in Greenwich Park, Tarlo, Wombeyan Caves, and Umina Beach. Police also seized electronic devices during these property searches.

A 64-year-old man from Lucyvale was arrested in Wodonga, and a 47-year-old man from Wombeyan Caves was arrested in Greenwich Park on unrelated outstanding warrants. Two other men arrested in May by Operation Summit detectives were released without charge.

In the August 2025 incident, Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 35, were killed. Ten police officers had entered the Porepunkah property on 26 August to serve a search warrant. The Porepunkah property is located approximately 210 kilometers north-east of Melbourne. Freeman, 56, has a history of association with pseudolaw ideology.

Detective Inspector Anthony Gasparini said the investigation would continue following Freeman's death. "The investigation does not stop simply because Freeman was located," Gasparini said. "We said from the outset that if alive, Freeman would likely need significant support to leave the area and survive over the following months," Gasparini said. "To that end, we are looking to identify and hold to account those people who provided that support to harbour a wanted fugitive and have potentially committed serious offences themselves." Police urged individuals with information about Freeman's movements between August 2025 and March 2026 to contact Crime Stoppers Victoria.