Porepunkah shooting: Two officers dead and another wounded after shooting at High Country property, Victoria, Australia

[SouthAussie]

"Aiding and abetting offences within or outside Victoria[10]

Every person who being within Victoria knowingly aids, abets, counsels, or procures, or who attempts or takes part in or is in any way privy to—

(a) doing any act or thing in contravention of this subdivision;

(b) doing any act or thing outside Victoria, or partly within and partly outside Victoria, which if done within Victoria would be in contravention of this subdivision—

shall be guilty of an indictable offence, and shall—

be liable if a corporation to a level 5 fine and if any other person to level 5 imprisonment (10 years maximum) or a level 5 fine or both."

CRIMES ACT 1958 - SECT 181 Aiding and abetting offences within or outside Victoria[10]

classic.austlii.edu.au

 

[Trooper]

I think not. Filby killed two police officers! And seriously maimed a third.

imo

Plus the pending child sexual assault case ... altogether, a most uncomfy situation to be helping someone avoid, hard to find a rational reason to assist someone out of this.

 

[Trooper]

Self-preservation always trumps loyalty when the stakes shift from sympathising to sentencing.

Especially when it is discovered that a whole lot of them are recipients of Centrelink payments and might be spending their time in more , shall we say, productive exertions??

 

[SouthAussie]

Plus the pending child sexual assault case ... altogether, a most uncomfy situation to be helping someone avoid, hard to find a rational reason to assist someone out of this.

And I think the DPP will look favourably on anyone who actually helps the police catch this cop killer. Even if they have aided and abetted Filby at some point after his fleeing the scene of these murders.

imo

 

[essareem]

I think not. Filby killed two police officers! And seriously maimed a third.

ETA:
Max 10 years for aiding and abetting (see link in next post)
LWOP for cop killers

imo

Life in prison

vs

Up to 20 years in prison for accessory after the fact.

I'd wager they'd be going for the max in such a high profile / politically sensitive case involving the murder of police officers.

So yeah, it's a very serious offence with major consequences. You can kiss your life goodbye, basically.

 

[SouthAussie]

Life in prison

vs

Up to 20 years in prison for accessory after the fact.

I'd wager they'd be going for the max in such a high profile / politically sensitive case involving the murder of police officers.

So yeah, it's a very serious offence with major consequences. You can kiss your life goodbye, basically.

That may be your opinion. But lawyers would get involved and the DPP would show some gratitude for assisting the police in catching a cop killer.

imo

 

[SouthAussie]

That's interesting, I've seen a comment on social media like this (about the son / hospital thing), but not been able to find any news articles or police statements (I might have missed it - there's so much to read). Can you link me the article for that one?

It is in this link.

Post in thread 'Porepunkah shooting: Two officers dead and another wounded after shooting at High Country property, Victoria, Australia'

Aug 30, 2025

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-victoria/family-of-accused-police-killer-details-his-spiral-into-dark-conspiracy-theories/news-story/cf36ced2efb5d96b427f861f3047d1f4?amp

Family of accused police killer details his spiral into dark conspiracy theories​

The family of accused police killer Dezi Freeman says his hate extended from police to women and anyone in authority — but his wild conspiracy theories were drastically fuelled by “doom scrolling” online.

Paraphrased :

• Family labelled him a hypocrite who despised a range of emergency service...

• drsleuth

• 
• 
• 

 

[Corina]

From your link

A woman who heard two Victoria Police officers gunned down in an 'ambush', sparking a manhunt for Dezi Freeman, has revealed police are yet to speak with her.

The neighbour - who wished to remain anonymous because of her friendship with Freeman's wife Amalia - told Daily Mail that police closed off her street at Porepunkah in Victoria's High Country several times to question Freeman's associates.

However, she said that not once have police reached out to her, despite her relationship with the family and the fact that she was an ear-witness to the alleged murders

I guess she never thought to go speak to the police herself, considering they have been in her street

It may be that the Daily Mail had more time to go door-knocking and interviewing people than the Police did.
I daresay if the Police thought she had something important to impart they'd have asked her.

 

[essareem]

It is in this link.

Post in thread 'Porepunkah shooting: Two officers dead and another wounded after shooting at High Country property, Victoria, Australia'

Aug 30, 2025

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-victoria/family-of-accused-police-killer-details-his-spiral-into-dark-conspiracy-theories/news-story/cf36ced2efb5d96b427f861f3047d1f4?amp

Family of accused police killer details his spiral into dark conspiracy theories​

The family of accused police killer Dezi Freeman says his hate extended from police to women and anyone in authority — but his wild conspiracy theories were drastically fuelled by “doom scrolling” online.

Paraphrased :

• Family labelled him a hypocrite who despised a range of emergency service...

• drsleuth

• 
• 
• 

Ah, that must be why. It's paywalled.

That's wild. In what kind of religion would a person draw things on another person's body to heal them? Can't say I've heard of that before

 

[Rocket333]

And I think the DPP will look favourably on anyone who actually helps the police catch this cop killer. Even if they have aided and abetted Filby at some point after his fleeing the scene of these murders.

imo

Mahli’s window is narrow but open. Active cooperation now could be the difference between years behind bars and a negotiated outcome. Again, those poor kids.

 

[Trooper]

Mahli’s window is narrow but open. Active cooperation now could be the difference between years behind bars and a negotiated outcome. Again, those poor kids.

Not for long , I'm thinking..... she is bait for the police at the moment, but , that window is rapidly closing..
I would think that child services are involved at this point...

 

[Absoluterubbish]

Mahli’s window is narrow but open. Active cooperation now could be the difference between years behind bars and a negotiated outcome. Again, those poor kids.

What if she doesn't actually know where he is and isn't helping him. Just playing devils advocate here, there is still that possibility although I know it seems unlikely.

Maybe he doesn't want his family to go down with him so has kept them out of the loop.

 

[Bats]

Still no mention of a reward as far as I can see. Wonder why not? Surely could make a difference if Dezi has collaborators who are not so firmly aligned to the "cause" as he is and who could benefit from a cash boost?

My opinion only.
Offering a reward is low on the priority list for Police. Maybe down the track when they've exhausted all avenues of inquiry. The Police don't need to offer a reward to get what they want at this point.

 

[Marg944]

Lindt Cafe hero's dire warning to cops​

“A former tactical officer has urged police involved in the manhunt for Dezi Freeman to not let revenge drive their pursuit of the alleged double cop killer.
Then-NSW Police officer Ben Besant was hailed a hero after he and his team stormed into Sydney's Lindt Cafe and shot dead siege terrorist Man Monis in December 2014.

His identity was suppressed for almost a decade before he finally broke his silence late last year.
Besant was also involved in capturing notorious fugitive Malcolm Naden in 2013 following a seven-year manhunt.

Besant has urged the 450-strong police force to not let the deaths of Detective Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35, drive their ambitions to track down Freeman, as the manhunt enters its tenth day.

'It’s hard not to. It’s hard not to get into that mindset. Use it to motivate you. Don’t let it cloud your judgement,' Besant told Seven News.
'From what I’ve seen from this lunatic (Freeman), I don’t imagine he’s going to go down without a fight.'
Besant is 'very confident' that police will eventually track down Freeman.

'They know what they’re doing. It will happen. You will catch up with him,' he said.”

Sad photo exposes why police officers are leaving the search for Dezi

Follow Daily Mail's coverage here.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Rocket333]

My opinion only.
Offering a reward is low on the priority list for Police. Maybe down the track when they've exhausted all avenues of inquiry. The Police don't need to offer a reward to get what they want at this point.

They could well think it’s quite solvable without a reward.

 

[Trooper]

They could well think it’s quite solvable without a reward.

They could be thinking it's a nice little outside exercise for the penpushers at Bandiana Army base there in Wodonga, they wouldn't send the cadets in from Puckapunyal, which is marginally closer, every body having a fully paid winter hike snow break AND learning new search skills and testing all the fancy electronics, of which the Australian Army, ( do not tell the Americans ) are leaders in their field, just having sold a terrific satellite system to Canada , for the Arctic watching brief....

 

[Trooper]

oh they are sending the army in now.... Dezzy will really be in trouble if the Navy and the AirForce get deployed.

 

[ishtvara]

Not forgetting Dez's most glaring characteristc, he cannot keep his mouth shut. If there are any ears standing around, Dez is talking non stop, talking rubbish, talking utter balderdash, talking huge porky pies, on and on, so pound to a penny lots of people know about Dez's bunker, but up first would be Marli, she is the source of materiel, of labour, of sustenance while building, and so on. Ditto the 19yr old..

He'd make her do the hard yards, she'd be cutting down the branches, lifting the palings etc, because why?? he has a bad back, ow ow owie, and is the executive in the arrangement.

I reckon he would be too paranoid to give anyone details of his bunker plan. He craps on endlessly about pseudolaw but he has drunk the kool aid enough to not give away his doomsday plan. I think it possible he had a cave set up with a swag, clothes and a good supply of non-perishables. I doubt he would be coming out to hunt or make a fire. If someone knows anything they would have spilled by now.

 

[Absoluterubbish]

I reckon he would be too paranoid to give anyone details of his bunker plan. He craps on endlessly about pseudolaw but he has drunk the kool aid enough to not give away his doomsday plan. I think it possible he had a cave set up with a swag, clothes and a good supply of non-perishables. I doubt he would be coming out to hunt or make a fire. If someone knows anything they would have spilled by now.

I have to agree that given his background he most definitely had an escape plan and most likely a bunker already in place (not necessarily for this event but for doomsday and the like). The only thing is I think if he was holed up in a bunker and not moving around LE would have found him by now.

 

[Marg944]

Police online update an hour ago:-

Porepunkah shooting and search for Desmond Freeman (Filby)​

How to report information about Desmond Freeman, also known as Desmond Filby, and information around the current search and community updates.

Porepunkah shooting and search for Desmond Freeman (Filby)

How to report information about Desmond Freeman (Filby), as well as information about the reward of up to $1M, the search, and community support services.

www.police.vic.gov.au