Surprising story behind the reporter who broke the news of Dezi Freeman shooting: ‘Her dedication is an inspiration’

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For Seven News reporter Cassie Zervos, breaking national crime stories is all in a day’s work.

She really went the extra mile to report that Dezi Freeman, the infamous cop-killer who was on the run, was shot and killed this week.

The story broke on Monday, and 34-year-old Cassie was the first journalist to arrive. Remarkably, she reported on it while still on maternity leave.

Sunrise host Natalie Barr took to her Instagram Story on Wednesday to praise Cassie’s efforts.

Natalie shared a photo of Cassie at the scene, explaining that Cassie, while on maternity leave, first reported the news about Dezi Freeman. Natalie highlighted Cassie’s dedication, noting she’d temporarily entrusted her baby to her mother to pursue the story she’d been working on for months.

Natalie shared a post from her Seven News colleague, Laura Turner, who also commended Cassie for her determination.

A writer praised crime reporter Cassie Zervos for breaking the exclusive story that Dezi Freeman, the man who killed a police officer, had been shot and killed.

She jumped into work immediately after having a baby, quickly leaving her child with her mother to head out and lead the news coverage for 7News Melbourne and 7News Australia.

She’s truly amazing – incredibly determined, yet remarkably humble. Her hard work and commitment to our profession are inspiring.

I was so touched by the response to Laura’s post! Everyone was showering her colleague with praise, and it was just so lovely to see. Even Cassie, who’s usually so down-to-earth, replied with the sweetest message – she said she was blushing and sent lots of love. It really highlighted how much appreciation there was for her, and honestly, it warmed my heart!

One person perfectly captured the general feeling, exclaiming, “I was just thinking – she recently had a baby! What an incredible woman!”

On Monday morning at 8:30 am, 56-year-old Freeman was fatally shot by police after being discovered inside a shipping container near Walwa, which is located close to the border between New South Wales and Victoria.

After shooting and killing two police officers and wounding another at his home in Porepunkah, Victoria, he evaded capture for seven months.

The search for Freeman turned into a massive nationwide police operation, involving extensive searches of wooded areas and a $1 million reward for information leading to his capture.

Cassie welcomed her first child, Lucy, with husband Paul Tatnell, in November last year.

The couple, who met while working at the Herald Sun, tied the knot in Melbourne in 2021.

It comes after Cassie slammed social media users after her appearance was trolled online. 

As a lifestyle expert, I was truly shocked to see the online backlash directed at a reporter recently. She was simply covering a really strange and disturbing case – a mother admitting to stealing toes from a deceased person and selling them illegally. Instead of focusing on the story itself, people online were attacking her appearance, which is just unacceptable. It’s a sad reminder of how quickly conversations can shift from the news to personal attacks, and it highlights the need for more empathy and focus on what truly matters.

Honestly, seeing the backlash online really worried me, and it made the journalist share her thoughts on TikTok. She just wants to help people feel comfortable being themselves at work – nobody deserves to be judged for how they look while they’re just trying to do their job, you know?

‘I believe we can be better and as human beings we can be kinder to one another,’ she said.

Honestly, in this day and age – it’s 2025! – I really believe we need to stop focusing on what people look like. It just feels wrong, and it can genuinely hurt someone’s feelings. I try my best to avoid it, and I wish everyone else would too.

‘I’m human with feelings and I was left feeling pretty crappy about it.’     

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2026-04-02 01:50