Inquests into the deaths of cop killer Dezi Freeman and two slain police officers will formally begin under the direction of the Victorian Coroner next week.
Freeman, 56, killed Detective Leading Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 35, on August 26 last year when police went to his Porepunkah property to serve him a warrant for alleged historical sexual offences.
A third officer was seriously injured in the shooting.
Freeman, previously known as Desmond Filby, was a married father and “sovereign citizen” who had previously espoused hostility towards the police and judicial system.
After the shooting, he fled into the bushland of Mount Buffalo as police conducted an enormous manhunt for the “experienced bushman” in the seven months that followed.
A $1m reward was offered on September 6 for information leading to his capture.
Freeman was shot dead at a Thologolong property on March 30 after a standoff that lasted for “several hours”.
He had been hiding out in an old shipping container near the NSW border, about 200km northeast of Porepunkah.
Victoria Police has now turned its attention to whether Freeman had received assistance while on the run.
A morning hearing will be held on Monday at the Coroners Court for the deaths of Constable Thompson and Constable de Waart-Hottart, followed by an afternoon hearing for Freeman.
According to a Coroners Court spokeswoman, State Coroner Liberty Sanger will confirm the initial steps of the coronial investigation process at Monday’s hearings.
“Judge Liberty Sanger will confirm the Victoria Police member assigned to be the coroner’s investigator in each respective coronial investigation and establish a timeline for delivery of the coronial briefs of evidence,” the spokeswoman said.
In Victoria, coroners independently examine the circumstances surrounding a death and, if necessary, consider whether anything could be done differently to help prevent similar events.
Speaking after Freeman was shot dead, Victoria Chief Police Commissioner Mike Bush said he was comfortable the wanted killer had been given “every opportunity to resolve this peacefully”.
“We tried everything possible, every tactical option that we have, to encourage the deceased to end this in a safe and peaceful manner,” he said. They weren’t taken.”
