Snow-capped peaks were visible from Porepunkah on Saturday as police looked for accused double murderer Dezi Freeman.Credit: Justin McManus/Supplied
“[It’s] very cold this morning, snow above 700 metres, and then blizzard conditions are facing anyone sort of up about Mount Buffalo National Park,” Jonathan How, a senior meteorologist from the Bureau of Meteorology, said on Saturday.
“But we are expecting a very cold night tonight, with a clearing sky, so frost is expected and potentially black ice on the roads for people up there.
“So [it’s] not a very pleasant sort of set of conditions.”
Specialist police, including an armoured “BearCat” truck, reconvened at a command post at a winery on the outskirts of Porepunkah early on Saturday morning.
A police helicopter landed at 9.30am. It flew from Melbourne over the alpine region, according to FlightRadar24 data.
An air ambulance from Wangaratta arrived at the makeshift police base before midday.
On Friday, the chief commissioner revealed officers had “considered but not requested” specialist police to serve a sex abuse warrant on Freeman, a self-proclaimed sovereign citizen with known hatred of the force and access to firearms.
Bush again urged the fugitive to turn himself in and warned sympathisers against helping his escape.
Developments in the hunt for Freeman came as senior police expressed frustration that their resources would be further strained by protests planned in Melbourne on Sunday.
Bush confirmed a risk assessment before Tuesday’s ambush, which claimed the lives of officers Thompson, 59, and De Waart, 35, had not sparked a call for Special Operations Group assistance.
Thompson was killed when Freeman allegedly opened fire with a home-made shotgun through the door of a bus he was living in on a Rayner Track property, on the outskirts of Porepunkah beneath Mount Buffalo.
Freeman then opened a window and allegedly shot De Waart and also injured a third officer, who took shelter under the bus after he was wounded. He is recovering in hospital after undergoing further surgery on Friday.
Fallen officers Vadim De Waart (left) and Neal Thompson.
Funerals for the slain police officers will take place with full honours at the Victoria Police Academy in Glen Waverley. De Waart will be farewelled on Friday and Thompson on September 8.
The region’s sports clubs have been among those paying tribute to local Thompson. The third division of Wangaratta’s local football team, the Magpies, wore blue armbands in their qualifying final against Lavington on Saturday, in which they came from behind to win.
Thompson also played in the over-35s with Wangaratta City soccer club, which wrote on Facebook he was “much-loved” and a mentor to younger players.
Police took Freeman’s wife, Mali, 42, and their 15-year-old son into custody during an operation in Porepunkah on Thursday night.
Bush said the pair were interviewed “specifically in relation to the homicide” and released.
“There may or may not be charges that follow,” Bush said.
The chief commissioner said there had been alleged sightings of Freeman since his escape, but none had been confirmed.
Bush made a direct appeal to Freeman, who reportedly has considerable bush survival skills.
“If that person is listening, it really is time to lay down your firearms and give yourself up so that we can all bring this to a safe conclusion,” Bush said.
“The No.1 priority for Victoria Police is to find the person who murdered our officers.”
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