A 59-year-old man stands on a rural property with his dog looking happy.

Neal Thompson was nearing retirement when he was killed while on duty. (Supplied)

In short:

Death would be “too good” an outcome for alleged shooter Dezi Freeman, the sister of slain officer Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson told the ABC.

Senior Constable Thompson and his 34-year-old colleague were killed in Victoria’s high country last year, sparking an enormous manhunt for Freeman.

What’s next?

More than 100 officers and volunteers are currently undertaking a five-day search in Mount Buffalo National Park, pursuing the theory that the 56-year-old died after fleeing on foot.

The sister of one of the two police officers shot dead in Victoria’s high country last year says death would be “too good” an outcome for the alleged shooter.

Police this morning renewed an extensive search for alleged gunman Dezi Freeman, revealing they believed it was a “strong possibility” that the fugitive was dead somewhere in Mount Buffalo National Park.

Police officer Neal Thompson farewelled at funeral

A police coffin at a funeral with cap and flowers on top of it

Lisa Thompson says her final weekend with her boyfriend before he was killed in a shooting at Porepunkah was their best yet.

Lois Kirk — the sister of slain officer Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson — told the ABC that death would be “too good for him”.

“But I don’t want to keep him in prison,” she added.

The shooting in August 2025 sparked an enormous manhunt for the fugitive, who fled into bushland on foot.

However, the efforts of hundreds of police, specialist equipment and cadaver dogs have so far failed to reveal any trace of the 56-year-old.

Watching tragedy unfold ‘horrible’

Senior Constable Thompson had been among a group of about 10 officers executing a warrant related to historical sexual offences at Freeman’s rural property on August 26, 2025.

The 59-year-old was days away from retirement after nearly four decades in the police, most recently in the Wangaratta branch.

He and his 34-year-old colleague, Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, were killed in a subsequent shootout, while a third police officer was injured.

Dezi Freeman pictured outside a court in Wangaratta.

Dezi Freeman has not been seen since fleeing on foot into bushland behind his Porepunkah property last August. (Supplied)

“We were just informed by phone call, my sister was,” Ms Kirk said of the day of the shooting.

“Then she came to my workplace and told me.”

Ms Kirk said the period that followed, when the case was subject to intense media interest as Freeman remained at large, was “horrible”.

But she said the family was “used to it now”.

“We’re pretty tough. We don’t show a lot of emotion,” she said.

Ms Kirk said the family had also received lots of support from Senior Constable Thompson’s mates over the past five-and-a-half months.

a selfie at sunset of Vadim in the mountains

Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart was also killed in the Porepunkah shooting. (Victoria Police)

‘The police force was Neal’s life’

At his funeral in September, Senior Constable Thompson was remembered as a kind-hearted friend and a loving partner to his bereaved girlfriend, fellow police officer Lisa Thompson.

Ms Kirk remembered her brother as a person who made the outdoors “his playground” and was a valuable member of the police force.

“He was very tough,” she said.

“Very much ‘I’ll get in there and help’. He was a very, very good cop.

“The police force was Neal’s life. He loved it.”

Police on Monday said there was “no proof” that Freeman remained alive more than five months after the shooting.

More than 100 officers and volunteers are currently undertaking a five-day search in Mount Buffalo National Park as they pursue the theory that the 56-year-old has died.

A $1 million reward remains on offer for information leading to the arrest of Mr Freeman, the largest arrest reward in Victoria’s history.