Two men arrested as part of the investigation into how cop-killer Dezi Freeman evaded police have since been released.

The men, aged 45 and 48, were arrested in Victoria’s northeast on Tuesday as part of the ongoing investigation into Freeman’s time on the run.

Freeman fatally shot Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart and Detective Leading Senior Constable Neil Thompson, as well as critically injuring another officer who has not been named, at his Porepunkah property in August last year.

Officers had been investigating Freeman over alleged child sexual assault and child abuse material offences.

After a prolonged manhunt, Freeman was killed in a dramatic shootout at his hideout in Thologolong in March.

Authorities have confirmed the two men arrested on Tuesday are not members of Freeman’s family.

They were later released pending further enquiries, police confirmed on Wednesday.

The investigation remains ongoing.

As police continue to investigate whether anyone assisted Freeman on the run, former Victoria Police detective Charlie Bezzina on Wednesday told Sunrise there could be several reasons why someone would harbour a known cop-killer.

That included “if they’re possibly other sovereign citizens and have an allegiance to Dezi Freeman in relation to that”.

“There might be some other hold that Freeman may have had over” someone who may have assisted him.

In April, two alleged associates of Freeman — a man and a woman — were arrested by police before also later being released.

Bezzina said police would be investigating whether anyone had assisted Freeman in getting to his hideout “and then sustaining him by giving him food and water and keeping him alive”.

However, prosecutors would need to prove any such person knew Freeman was a wanted fugitive to secure convictions.

Anyone found guilty of harbouring a fugitive could face significant jail time.