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AAP
AAP
National
William Ton

Dezi Freeman associates questioned as police map escape

A man and a woman were arrested as part of an investigation into Dezi Freeman's movements. (Victoria Police/Susie Dodds/AAP PHOTOS)

Two associates of Dezi Freeman have been arrested and released as police investigate the fugitive cop killer's movements and how he evaded capture for months.

Victoria Police arrested two people, who they said were associates of Freeman, at separate properties in the state's northeast on Saturday morning. 

"Detectives from Taskforce Summit arrested two people this morning as part of their ongoing investigation into the movements of Desmond Freeman," a police spokeswoman said in a statement.

Police interviewed the man and woman before releasing them pending further inquiries on Saturday evening.

They have not been charged and are not members of Freeman's family.

The 56-year-old fugitive was shot dead in a hail of bullets by specialist police on a remote property in Thologolong, near Walwa on the Victoria-NSW border, on Monday after a seven-month manhunt.

Freeman was wanted for shooting dead Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart-Hottart, who were among a team of police officers serving a warrant at his Porepunkah home in late August.

Speculation has been rife over how Freeman came to be in Thologolong, which is about 150km from where he fatally shot the officers.

Victorian police officers Vadim De Waart-Hottart and Neal Thompson
Dezi Freeman was wanted for the fatal shooting of officers Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart-Hottart. (HANDOUT/VICTORIA POLICE)

The property is owned by Rick Sutherland, but his brother Neil said he had no idea the fugitive was camped out there.

Neil said his brother had been in Tasmania at the time and, unlike Freeman, was not a sovereign citizen.

Mr Sutherland, who lives two properties from the site of the shooting, has reportedly said his brother has contacted police to offer his assistance.

Investigators are exploring the possibility Freeman received help from others in evading police for 216 days, with police chief Mike Bush saying it would have been very difficult for him to get to where he was without assistance.

A $1 million bounty was offered for information leading to Freeman's capture, but the police chief said any claim of the reward would likely remain confidential indefinitely.

Scene where Dezi Freeman was shot dead in Thologolong, Victoria
Police tracked Dezi Freeman down to a remote Victorian property near the NSW border. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)

A source told AAP on Wednesday the reward was being claimed.

Freeman's death was a shock for many in the community, including Mali Freeman, who was informed of her husband's death on Monday by police over the phone.

She and her children were struggling to cope, a close friend, who wished to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, told AAP.

Mali, who was present during the fatal shootings of the officers, and a 15-year-old boy were previously arrested but released without charge.

Freeman's body has been formally identified, with homicide squad detectives continuing to lead the investigation to build a brief of evidence for a coroner.

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