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After a violent confrontation with police he fled into the Victorian High Country.
What followed is a three month manhunt by 500 police, including 125 specialist tactical officers, 20 dog teams, six helicopters, an unknown number of thermal drones and in addition hundreds of military personnel. Despite the effort not so much as a footprint of the man was found.
As the search past its first month the issue became obvious. This guy had four decades of experience in the area, his son calling it his second home. Friends recounted an obsession with bushcraft and a history of living offgrid in makeshift homes, old buses, sheds and caves. He knew the mineshafts were a safe comfortable place at night and as a prepper he was known to stash things in many a hidden place.
As the hunt entered its 2nd month his connections to anti government groups were exposed and the police had to reconcile the fact he may be helped. With thermals completely failing, tactical officers were given the gruelling task of crawling through caves and mineshafts. With no success the Australian public began questioning what all this was costing. Independent media interviewed locals and suspicions were raised, how could such a well liked man kill for no reason? Why has the bodycam footage not been released?
As the hunt entered its 3rd month half the units were sent home. Weeks of snow storms and dangerous conditions had crushed morale. The welfare toll was immense. Stories of psychological damage on officers. PTSD was diagnosed, this man, this ghost, he could have been behind any tree. Various theories were floated, suggestions that if the police couldn't find him then maybe he wasn't even there.
And now there is but a skeleton crew, still searching, refusing to give up.
What followed is a three month manhunt by 500 police, including 125 specialist tactical officers, 20 dog teams, six helicopters, an unknown number of thermal drones and in addition hundreds of military personnel. Despite the effort not so much as a footprint of the man was found.
As the search past its first month the issue became obvious. This guy had four decades of experience in the area, his son calling it his second home. Friends recounted an obsession with bushcraft and a history of living offgrid in makeshift homes, old buses, sheds and caves. He knew the mineshafts were a safe comfortable place at night and as a prepper he was known to stash things in many a hidden place.
As the hunt entered its 2nd month his connections to anti government groups were exposed and the police had to reconcile the fact he may be helped. With thermals completely failing, tactical officers were given the gruelling task of crawling through caves and mineshafts. With no success the Australian public began questioning what all this was costing. Independent media interviewed locals and suspicions were raised, how could such a well liked man kill for no reason? Why has the bodycam footage not been released?
As the hunt entered its 3rd month half the units were sent home. Weeks of snow storms and dangerous conditions had crushed morale. The welfare toll was immense. Stories of psychological damage on officers. PTSD was diagnosed, this man, this ghost, he could have been behind any tree. Various theories were floated, suggestions that if the police couldn't find him then maybe he wasn't even there.
And now there is but a skeleton crew, still searching, refusing to give up.
