Sovereign citizen Dezi Freeman mocked a dead policeman and looted his body after shooting him in the head with a shotgun, a coronial inquest has heard. 

The double cop killer launched his crazed attack at a rural Porepunkah property in north-west Victoria on August 26 last year as police tried to execute a search warrant over alleged child sex offences.

‘F***ing scum … you f***ing die in f***ing hell,’ Freeman shouted as Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart lay on the ground. 

Standing over the bodies of his victims, the gunman unleashed his hate-filled rant at the dying officers.

Detective Leading Senior Constable Neil Thompson was shot first to the side of the face and neck as he entered the bus, collapsing instantly. 

Senior Constable De Waart-Hottart was then shot in the head as he tried to run – Freeman taking his weapon from his corpse.

‘I had no choice. I had no choice,’ Freeman said repeatedly after shooting the officers. 

The graphic details were aired on Monday in the Coroners Court of Victoria, where an inquest into the police operation began in Melbourne. 

Dezi Freeman mocked a dead policeman and looted his body

Counsel assisting the coroner, Lindsay Spence, told the court police had wanted to talk to Freeman about shocking child sex allegations. 

‘Investigators in June 2025 had received a disclosure in respect of an alleged sexual assault involving a child under the age of 16, as well as an attempt to involve a child in the production of child abuse material,’ he said. 

‘The purpose of the search warrant was for the locating and seizure of electronic devices that were to be interrogated for the potential presence of child abuse material.’

The court heard Freeman shot Detective Thompson a second time while standing over both bodies. 

The cold-blooded killer then sent a text to his wife Amalia ‘Mali’ Freeman. 

‘Get a mile away and keep going. See you in heaven love,’ he texted as he fled into the bush. 

State Coroner Judge Liberty Sanger opened the inquest into the deaths of the two officers, paying tribute to them. 

‘I would like to acknowledge the members of both Neil and Vadim’s families … I offer my condolences to all of you on the loss of Neil and Vadim,’ she said.

Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart (left) and Detective Leading Senior Constable Neil Thompson were both murdered by Freeman 

Seconds before disaster: The deadly warrant execution of Freeman 

The court heard Freeman shouted abuse at police when they entered his compound.  

‘The purpose of their attendance was the execution of a search warrant,’ Mr Spence told the court.

Freeman, also known as Desmond Christopher Filby, refused to come out, yelling the search was ‘illegal’ and that police were breaking their own laws. 

After prolonged negotiations, Det Thompson climbed through the bus window where he was met with a shotgun blast.

‘Amalia then stood in front of the bus window … “all right, we are coming out”,’ she told police. 

But it was too late.

The killer later fired the shotgun towards other officers, causing serious injuries to one, before fleeing into bushland.

‘The offender has stood over both bodies and said various things, which out of respect for the families, I will not repeat,’ Mr Spence said. 

Victoria Police Detective Inspector Dean Thomas arrives for the hearing into the deaths of two Victoria Police officers

Amalia ‘Mali’ Freeman was accused of hindering police 

The inquest heard Freeman had no valid firearms licence at the time. 

The shotgun used in the murders has never been recovered.

The court heard police accused Freeman’s wife of ‘hindering’ the operation, telling her to get out of the way.

‘Yes, I’ll bloody talk to you. We’ll go from there,’ Freeman told the officers at his door. ‘Stop your goons from breaking the door.’

The court heard Det Thompson pleaded with Freeman’s wife to open the door. 

‘Move back,’ Det Thompson told her as another officer warned her to ‘stop hindering’ them. 

Mr Spence told the court Freeman had a Category A and B longarm licence in 2015 and a general category handgun licence in 2016.

‘In March 2022, the handgun licence expired while suspended … and in March 2025, his longarm licence expired while suspended,’ he said.

Dezi Freeman executed two police officers in cold blood 

The court heard at the time of the shootings he had no firearms registered to his name.

‘The source of the shotgun…remains unknown and it has not been recovered,’ Mr Spence said.

Family and supporters of the slain police officers watched on as the explicit details were aired.

Among them were the sisters of Det Thompson.

Dianne Thompson and Lois Kirk linked arms as they entered the court for the first hearing about their brother’s death.

More to follow