Inquest into deaths of two Victoria Police officers and police killer Dezi Freeman opens

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This is where we'll leave the live coverage

M By Melissa Brown

Court adjourned earlier this afternoon, so this is where we'll finish our live blog coverage.

Thank you for joining Judd and me this afternoon, as we covered the opening of the inquest into the deaths of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, and the separate hearing into the death of police killer Dezi Freeman.

Read about this afternoon's hearing

M By Melissa Brown

ABC court reporter Kristian Silva was following today's inquests.

He has filed this article on what happened at the Coroners Court this afternoon as a directions hearing unfolded into Dezi Freeman's death.

The town that was shut down by Dezi Freeman

M By Melissa Brown

Porepunkah is a peaceful Alpine town in Victoria's north-east.

It's popular with tourists wanting to capture the colours of the trees as they change colour in Autumn and as one of the final stops before heading up to the ski fields of Mount Buffalo.

The shooting of the police officers effectively put locals into lockdown for days, and cast a shadow over the town that last much longer.

The ABC's Sacha Payne spoke to locals as the search for Freeman continued late last year:

Making wine in honour of slain officers

M By Melissa Brown

Not long ago, police colleagues and Porepunkah locals got together at a winery which was taken over the investigators and turned into the command post in the early days of the search for Dezi Freeman.

This group picked grapes which will be turned into wine in honour of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart.

The money raised from the sale of the wine will go towards supporting police families through Police Legacy.

Many local police officers were first responders on the day of the shooting in August 2025.

Catch up on this morning's hearing

M By Melissa Brown

The Coroners Court ran two hearings today.

The first hearing focused on the deaths of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart.

This afternoon's directions hearing looked at Dezi Freeman's death.

If you want to catch up on what was said in court this morning, the ABC's Ashlee Aldridge filed this wrap of proceedings:

Five things we learnt from today’s hearing

M By Melissa Brown

Over the course of two separate directions hearings today, the Coroners Court was told some new details about the fatal shootings of the two Victoria Police officers and the death of Dezi Freeman.

Here's some of what we learnt:

The coroners court was told Dezi Freeman shot Neal Thompson first before turning his gun on Vadim de Waart-Hottart.

Freeman took Senior Constable de Waart-Hottart’s gun and fired at other officers before shooting Neal Thompson a second time. He then yelled foul-mouthed insults at the dying officers.

As the ABC had already revealed, hundreds of files of child abuse material were found on devices belonging to Dezi Freeman. Last year, as the search for Freeman continued, police revealed they had gone to the Porepunkah property to serve a warrant on Freeman in relation to an alleged sexual assault of a child.

When police located and surrounded Freeman at the Thologolong property, none of the officers were equipped with a body-worn camera.

Footage of the final, fatal confrontation was captured by the police air wing overhead, while audio was captured by a mobile phone that Dezi Freeman had set up to record.

Key people and moments in the seven-month search for the police killer

M By Melissa Brown

The search for Dezi Freeman largely centred on the Mount Buffalo National Park and areas around north-east Victoria.

It was Australia's largest ever tactical police operation.

A $1 million reward was offered for anyone who helped police find Freeman.

After seven months at large, he was shot and killed after being surrounded by police at Thologolong, on the Vic-NSW border.

Read more about the key people involved in this case and The timeline of events:

Dezi Freeman's final recordings

J By Judd Boaz

As mentioned in today's hearing, the only footage that exists of the final confrontation between the Victoria Police Special Operations Group officers and Dezi Freeman comes from the Air Wing unit overhead.

Lindsay Spence told the court that the vision clearly shows Freeman pointing a black handgun at officers.

However, Mr Spence also mentioned that Dezi Freeman began recording audio on a mobile phone before he was shot.

That audio footage captured the negotiations, as well as the final confrontation.

Vadim de Waart-Hottart had a passion for work

M By Melissa Brown

Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart was remembered as an upbeat adventurer who constantly sought out new experiences, loved the outdoors and to travel.

He was described by his brother as his "very own superhero".

Friends and family said he was always happy and trying to make others laugh.

He was said to have had a “contagious smile”.

Neal Thompson was due to retire

M By Melissa Brown

At the heart of this entire case are two police officers whose lives were taken in the line of duty.

Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson was just days from retirement when he was killed.

He had dreams of spending his retirement walking across South America and going on fishing trips up north with mates.

Neal Thompson's family in court this morning

M By Melissa Brown

The family of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson attended the Coroners Court in Southbank, Melbourne this morning.

Among the group were Senior Constable Thompson's sisters.

Coronial brief to be delivered by October 30

J By Judd Boaz

Senior homicide detective Paul Scarlett has been appointed as the coronial investigator.

The Victoria Police Professional Standards Command is also overseeing the investigation into the shooting of Dezi Freeman.

No other issues are raised.

The coronial brief will be delivered by October 30 this year.

No bodycam footage

J By Judd Boaz

Mr Spence tells the court the tactical officers who confronted Dezi Freeman were not wearing bodycams, and have no footage of the incident.

He says footage of the final confrontation was captured by the helicopter overhead.

Audio from Dezi Freeman's mobile phone from around the time of the confrontation, also exists.

One bullet still unaccounted for

J By Judd Boaz

There are 15 bullets in a standard magazine for a Victoria Police issued firearm.

A count was made of the remaining rounds found in Freeman's gun (12), the shot fired in Porepunkah (1), and the shot fired at Thologolong (1).

The spare magazine of ammunition taken from police officer Vadim de Waart-Hottart was also found unused.

But the court hears that one round is still unaccounted for.

Dezi Freeman is shot dead

J By Judd Boaz

Dezi Freeman emerged with a green bag covering his hands, and walked away from police vehicles.

He then dropped the green bag and was seen with a firearm, and members of the tactical squad on site said they believed it had been fired.

"The deceased was struck and immediately fell to the ground," Mr Spence tells the court.

"His injuries were deemed to be fatal."

A spent cartridge case, consistent with Freeman's gun being fired, was found nearby.

Gas deployed

J By Judd Boaz

Police then attempted to give Dezi Freeman a mobile phone to communicate, throwing one on the ground. But Freeman refused to take it.

The court hears two hours of negotiations ensued, as Freeman goaded police officers by asking them to come "have a beer with me" as he drank from a bottle.

Police then deployed gas inside the shipping container, forcing Dezi Freeman out.

Police confront Dezi

J By Judd Boaz

Dezi Freeman emerged wrapped in a blanket, calling police "thugs and bullies", the court hears.

Freeman then asked why police were there.

Mr Spence tells the court Dezi Freeman explained his actions, saying:

"That is self defense ... they had come to murder me and my family".

Police then fired foam baton rounds at Freeman, who was struck and retreated back into the shipping container.

He then told police:

"Cowards. Come and get me."

Police surround Dezi

J By Judd Boaz

Police surrounded a white, modified 40-foot shipping container early in the morning, and attempted to negotiate with Dezi Freeman via loudspeaker.

The police Air Wing helicopter hovered overhead.

When no response came, police fired gas canisters at the shopping container, with several penetrating it.

Lead up to Thologolong raid

J By Judd Boaz

Mr Spence reminds us that the investigation is still ongoing into the shooting.

We hear about the rural property where Freeman was finally found.

The property did not have a "livable dwelling", but there were shipping containers.

Surveillance was conducted at the property in the days leading up to March 30, and Freeman's identity was confirmed.