State coroner Liberty Sanger to begin inquests into Dezi Freeman and slain police officers on Monday
Inquests into the deaths of cop killer Dezi Freeman and two slain police officers will officially begin next week under the direction of the Victorian Coroner.
Freeman, 56, killed Detective Chief Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 35, on August 26 last year when police went to his property in Porepunkah to serve an arrest warrant on him for allegations of historic sexual offences.
A third police officer was also seriously injured in the clash.
Freeman, formerly known as Desmond Filby, was a married father and a “sovereign citizen” who had previously adopted hostility towards the police and judicial system.
Following the shooting, the man fled into the woods of Buffalo Mountain, where police conducted a massive manhunt for the “seasoned forester” over the next seven months.
A $1 million reward was offered on September 6 for information leading to his capture.
Freeman was shot dead at a property in Thologolong on March 30 after a shootout lasting “several hours”.
It was stored in an old shipping container about 200km north-east of Porepunkah, near the NSW border.
Victoria Police has now turned its attention to whether Freeman had assistance in escaping.
A morning hearing will be held in the Coroner’s Court on Monday into the deaths of Constable Thompson and Constable de Waart-Hottart, followed by an afternoon hearing for Freeman.
State Coroner Liberty Sanger will confirm the first steps of the coroner’s inquest process at hearings on Monday, according to a Coroner’s Court spokeswoman.
“Judge Liberty Sanger will confirm the member of Victoria Police appointed as the coroner investigator in each relevant criminal investigation and establish a timetable for the delivery of summaries of forensic evidence,” the spokesman said.
In Victoria, coroners independently examine the circumstances surrounding a death and, if necessary, consider whether anything could have been done differently to help prevent similar incidents.
Speaking after Freeman was shot dead, Victoria Police Chief Mike Bush said he was pleased the wanted killer had been “given every opportunity to resolve this peacefully”.
“We tried everything possible, every tactical option we had, to encourage the deceased to finish this safely and peacefully,” he said. “They were not offended.”
