In a heart-stopping moment amid one of Australia’s most grueling manhunts, search teams combing the dense wilderness of Mount Buffalo National Park made a grim discovery today: human remains partially buried beneath an ancient snow gum tree in a remote gully. The find, uncovered during the final phases of a renewed five-day operation, sent shockwaves through Victoria Police headquarters and reignited speculation about the fate of fugitive Dezi Freeman, the 56-year-old sovereign citizen accused of gunning down two officers in August 2025.
But in a stunning forensic turnaround, preliminary DNA results — rushed through priority lab processing — have confirmed the remains are NOT those of Dezi Freeman. Sources close to the investigation describe the revelation as a “chilling twist” that has forced authorities to confront uncomfortable new questions: Whose body is this? And could it be linked to Freeman’s six-month evasion?
The discovery occurred shortly after midday on February 5, 2026, when a specialist cadaver dog from the NSW contingent alerted handlers to a disturbed patch of soil under the tree’s sprawling roots. Forensic anthropologists and crime scene technicians carefully excavated the site, recovering skeletal fragments, clothing remnants, and what appeared to be personal effects partially preserved by the cold, dry alpine conditions. The area — a steep, heavily vegetated slope about 2.5 kilometers from the perimeter of the latest search zone — had been flagged earlier due to acoustic analysis tying back to a reported single gunshot heard roughly two hours after the initial Porepunkah shootings on August 26, 2025.
Detective Inspector Adam Tilley, who has fronted media briefings throughout the renewed push, addressed the find in an urgent late-afternoon press conference streamed live from Bright township. “This afternoon, our teams located human remains in the targeted sector of Mount Buffalo National Park,” Tilley stated. “We immediately prioritized identification protocols. Initial DNA comparison against known profiles, including family references for Dezi Freeman, has definitively ruled him out as the deceased individual. This is not the breakthrough we anticipated in terms of locating Mr. Freeman, but it is a significant and serious development that requires thorough investigation.”
Tilley emphasized that the operation — involving over 100 officers, cadaver dogs, drones with ground-penetrating radar, ballistic experts, and volunteer bushwalkers — would continue as planned until the scheduled conclusion on February 6 or 7, depending on weather. “We are keeping an open mind,” he reiterated. “Our strong belief remains that Mr. Freeman is deceased in this general area, based on the absence of any proof of life, intelligence from the post-shooting gunshot report, and the extreme challenges of long-term survival here. But today’s find reminds us that the high country holds many secrets.”
The Backdrop: A Manhunt Defined by Frustration and Resolve
To understand the weight of this discovery, one must revisit the timeline. On August 26, 2025, police executed a search warrant at Freeman’s rural Porepunkah property (a remote setup involving a bus dwelling on Four Gully Farm). Freeman, a vocal anti-government ideologue with prior online threats against law enforcement, allegedly opened fire, killing Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, while gravely wounding a third officer. He fled into adjacent bushland, sparking Victoria’s largest tactical manhunt in history.
Initial searches covered vast swathes of Mount Buffalo: caves, abandoned mine shafts, riverbeds, and sheer cliffs. A $1 million AUD reward — the state’s biggest ever — drew tips from across the country, but none panned out. By late 2025, police shifted rhetoric to a “recovery” mission, citing no financial activity, no sightings, and expert consensus that an unprepared 56-year-old could not endure months of sub-zero nights, limited water, and rugged terrain without support.
The February 2026 renewal targeted a refined 1.3+ square kilometer zone near the Buckland River’s western side, informed by firearms acoustics testing that corroborated the witness-reported gunshot. Cadaver dogs, thermal drones, and ground teams scoured systematically — until today’s grim find.
What the Remains Tell Us — And What They Don’t
Forensic sources indicate the remains are those of an adult male, estimated age 30–50, with decomposition consistent with exposure since mid-to-late 2025. Clothing fragments suggest outdoor gear — possibly hiking apparel — but no immediate identifiers like a wallet or phone. No obvious signs of foul play (gunshot wounds, blunt trauma) were visible at the scene, though full autopsy awaits.
The DNA exclusion from Freeman was swift: Victoria Police maintains reference samples from family members (including eldest son Koah Freeman, wife Mali, and younger children). Matches ruled out within hours. Speculation now swirls around possibilities:
- A missing bushwalker or hiker whose disappearance went under-reported amid the Freeman focus.
- An unrelated d**th in the park, perhaps from misadventure, that coincidentally overlapped the search area.
- A more sinister link: Could this be a sympathizer or associate who aided Freeman and met an unfortunate end? Or worse, evidence of prior criminal activity tied to Freeman’s sovereign citizen network?
Police have downplayed conspiracy angles, stressing the park’s history of isolated fatalities (exposure, falls, heart attacks). Mount Buffalo sees occasional missing persons cases, and feral animals can scatter remains, complicating timelines.
Impact on the Freeman Family and Victims’ Loved Ones
Koah Freeman, 20, who once publicly compared his father’s survival skills to “Rambo x10” and expressed condolences to the slain officers’ families, has not commented on today’s events. Earlier cooperation with police — including statements distancing himself from his father’s ideology — may face renewed scrutiny if any tangential links emerge.
For the families of Thompson and de Waart-Hottart, the non-match is bittersweet. “We hoped for closure today,” one relative told media off-record. “Finding anyone out there is tragic, but not knowing if Dezi is still breathing keeps the wound open. Justice feels further away.”
Mali Freeman and the younger children, who faced intense scrutiny post-shooting (including a brief detention), have maintained a low profile. Mali’s earlier statement rejected anti-authority extremism and urged surrender if alive.
Broader Implications for the Search and Sovereign Citizen Threat
This discovery underscores the operational nightmare: dense vegetation, unpredictable weather, and vast hidden pockets make exhaustive coverage impossible. Police acknowledge they may never locate Freeman if he perished off-trail. Legal presumption of death in Victoria typically requires seven years absent remains, prolonging limbo.
The case highlights risks from sovereign citizen ideology — a fringe movement rejecting state authority, often escalating to violence. Freeman’s online history (“the only good cop is a d**d cop”) and mental health concerns (a medical appointment scheduled the day of the sh**ting) add tragic layers.
As night falls on Mount Buffalo, teams continue grid searches around the remains site. Forensic recovery is ongoing, with the area cordoned for deeper excavation. The $1 million reward persists for information leading to Freeman specifically.
Is this isolated tragedy unrelated, or the first thread unraveling a larger mystery? Authorities promise transparency as tests progress. For now, the forest guards its secrets — but today’s shocking find ensures the hunt will not end quietly.
Stay tuned for updates. If you have information, contact Crime Stoppers.