In a bombshell development that has rocked Australia’s law enforcement community, the grieving sisters of murdered Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson have declared war on Victoria Police — accusing the force of catastrophic failures that they claim directly contributed to the cold-blooded killing of their brother and his colleague.

Just days after fugitive cop-killer Dezi Freeman was finally shot dead by specialist officers following a harrowing seven-month manhunt, Dianne Thompson and Lois Kirk have broken their silence in explosive interviews, revealing they are preparing to launch a landmark lawsuit against the state’s police force and its leadership.

“Why weren’t the elite officers sent in the first place?” the sisters have demanded, their voices raw with pain and fury. “The risk of a shootout should have been obvious from day one.”

Their brother, 59-year-old Neal Thompson — a dedicated detective with decades of service — and 35-year-old Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart were allegedly gunned down in cold blood on August 26, 2025, while simply trying to serve a search warrant at Freeman’s property in the quiet Victorian town of Porepunkah, near Bright in the state’s picturesque high country.

A third officer was seriously injured in the ambush, fighting for his life as bullets flew.

Now, with Freeman — the 56-year-old conspiracy theorist and self-styled sovereign citizen — lying dead after a dramatic dawn raid on March 30, 2026, the Thompson family say enough is enough. They are accusing Victoria Police of ignoring warnings, failing to properly assess the threat, and sending their loved ones into a deadly situation without adequate backup.

This is the shocking story of a double cop killing that shocked the nation, a manhunt that captivated Australia for 216 days, and a grieving family’s fight for answers and accountability that could expose deep flaws in how police handle high-risk operations.

The fateful morning that changed everything

It was a crisp winter morning in late August 2025 when Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart-Hottart, along with at least one other officer, arrived at Dezi Freeman’s rural property in Porepunkah to execute what should have been a routine warrant.

Freeman, previously known as Desmond Filby, was no ordinary resident. Well-known in certain circles as a vocal conspiracy theorist with anti-government views, he had reportedly clashed with authorities before. Police had intelligence that suggested potential risks, yet the operation was not escalated to specialist tactical teams.

What happened next was pure horror.

According to police accounts, Freeman opened fire without warning. Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart-Hottart were shot dead at the scene. A third officer was critically wounded. Freeman then fled into the dense bushland surrounding the property, kicking off one of the largest and most expensive manhunts in Victorian — and possibly Australian — history.

The nation held its breath as hundreds of officers, specialist units, helicopters, and tracking dogs scoured rugged terrain in freezing conditions. Rewards were offered. Tips flooded in. But for 216 agonising days, Freeman remained at large, allegedly surviving with possible help from sympathisers.

Then, on the morning of Monday, March 30, 2026, it all came to a dramatic and violent end.

Specialist police located Freeman at a remote rural property in Thologolong, near Walwa in north-east Victoria — about 150km from the original crime scene. A tense three-hour standoff ensued. Freeman, police say, produced a service pistol stolen from one of the slain officers and pointed it at the tactical team.

Officers opened fire. Freeman was shot multiple times — reports suggest more than 20 rounds — and killed at the scene. Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush later confirmed the operation had brought “closure” to the families, though formal identification was pending at the time.

For many, it was justice served. For Neal Thompson’s sisters, it was the moment they could finally speak out.

‘They ignored us’: Sisters break their silence

In their first interviews since Freeman’s death, Dianne Thompson and Lois Kirk have painted a devastating picture of institutional indifference.

The sisters claim they were initially informed of their brother’s death over the phone — not in person, as is standard for such tragic notifications. They say they wrote directly to Chief Commissioner Mike Bush outlining their concerns about the operation, but felt their pleas were dismissed or ignored.

“We have been treated appallingly,” one sister told reporters in emotional comments reported across Australian media. They accuse police of failing to deploy the elite Special Operations Group (SOG) or other highly trained tactical units for what they describe as an obviously high-risk warrant service.

“The risk should have been obvious from day one,” they insisted. “Why send two general duties officers and a detective into a situation like that without proper backup?”

Their lawyer is now preparing civil action against Victoria Police, seeking damages for what the family alleges was negligence in planning and executing the warrant. The lawsuit is expected to argue that better risk assessment, intelligence sharing, and the use of specialist resources could have prevented the tragedy.

This isn’t just about compensation. The family wants systemic change — to ensure no other officer’s family has to endure the same heartbreak.

Victoria Police has issued a detailed statement in response, defending its actions while expressing sympathy for the families. The force maintains that the operation was planned based on available intelligence at the time and that officers acted professionally in extremely difficult circumstances.

But the Thompson sisters are unmoved. “This is about accountability,” they have said. “Our brother served with pride for decades. He deserved better protection.”

Who was Dezi Freeman? The man behind Australia’s longest manhunt

Dezi Freeman, 56, was no stranger to controversy. Described by some as a “hippie libertarian” turned hardcore conspiracy theorist, he had embraced sovereign citizen ideologies that reject the authority of government and police.

Living a relatively reclusive life on his Porepunkah property, Freeman reportedly had a history of run-ins with authorities. His sister, who has spoken publicly for the first time since the events, expressed profound shame and anger at her brother’s actions.

“I am ashamed and angry that my brother was capable of murdering two human beings who were just doing their job,” she told ABC’s 7.30 program. She said the family was “devastated and heartbroken” for the officers’ loved ones and that their late parents “would have been horrified.”

Freeman’s seven months on the run fuelled intense speculation. Did he have help? How did he survive in the harsh Victorian bush through winter? Police have not ruled out that sympathisers or others assisted him, and investigations continue into that angle.

His final moments were dramatic. Cornered at the Thologolong property, he reportedly refused to surrender peacefully. When he brandished the stolen police pistol, specialist officers had no choice but to engage.

Some fringe online communities have already begun portraying Freeman as a “martyr” against perceived government overreach — a narrative strongly condemned by mainstream voices and the officers’ families.

The human cost: Heroes remembered

Neal Thompson was a highly respected detective leading senior constable with a long and distinguished career. At 59, he was a veteran who had dedicated his life to serving the community.

Vadim de Waart-Hottart, just 35, was a dedicated senior constable with his whole future ahead of him. Both men left behind devastated families, colleagues, and friends.

Tributes poured in across Victoria and beyond after the shooting. Police Association representatives described the deaths as a devastating blow to the entire force.

The surviving injured officer has faced a long and painful recovery, adding another layer of trauma to the incident.

For the Thompson sisters, the pain is compounded by what they see as a lack of transparency and support from the very organisation their brother served so faithfully.

They have spoken of being “ignored” by senior leadership and of feeling let down by a system that should protect its own.

Questions that won’t go away

The planned lawsuit raises uncomfortable questions for Victoria Police:

• Was the intelligence on Freeman properly assessed?
• Why wasn’t the Special Operations Group or equivalent tactical unit deployed for the warrant?
• Were there previous warnings or red flags about Freeman that were overlooked?
• How was a fugitive able to evade capture for over seven months in a relatively populated region?

Chief Commissioner Mike Bush and the force have faced scrutiny before over high-profile incidents, but this case — involving the murder of two of their own — strikes at the heart of police culture and operational standards.

Legal experts suggest the lawsuit could be complex. Police operations often enjoy certain protections, but if the family can prove gross negligence or a failure to follow established protocols for high-risk warrants, it could set a significant precedent.

Similar cases in Australia and overseas have sometimes resulted in substantial payouts and policy changes.

A nation still in shock

The Porepunkah shootings and subsequent manhunt dominated Australian headlines for months. It raised broader debates about police safety, the rise of extremist ideologies, sovereign citizen movements, and the challenges of policing in rural and remote areas.

Freeman’s death has brought a form of closure for many, but for the Thompson and de Waart-Hottart families, the grief continues — and now, so does their fight for justice.

Dianne Thompson and Lois Kirk say they are speaking out not just for their brother, but for every police officer who puts their life on the line every day.

“Our family has been through hell,” they have said. “We want to make sure this never happens to another family.”

As preparations for the lawsuit gather pace, all eyes are on Victoria Police and the courts. Will the force fight the claims vigorously, or will it seek an early resolution to avoid a damaging public trial?

One thing is certain: the sisters of Neal Thompson are determined. They have waited long enough for answers.

And they are no longer prepared to stay silent.

The tragedy of August 26, 2025, claimed two brave officers doing their duty. Seven months later, with the gunman dead, the battle for accountability is only just beginning.

This case could reshape how Victoria Police handles future high-risk operations — and force a reckoning with the human cost when things go tragically wrong.