The 56-year-old was shot dead in a hail of bullets by Victoria Police Special Operations Group members on a remote property in Thologolong, near Walwa on the Victoria-NSW border, after a seven-month manhunt.
It was a shock for many in the community, including Mali Freeman, who was informed of her husband's death on Monday by police over the phone.
She and her children were struggling to cope, a close friend, who wished to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, told AAP on Wednesday.
Police likely knew Freeman's whereabouts for several days before the shooting, following a tip from a member of the public.
This led officers to his location, sources not authorised to speak publicly about the case confirmed.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush was tight-lipped on Monday on whether the $1 million bounty for information leading to Freeman's capture would be paid.
Any claim of the reward would likely remain confidential indefinitely, the police boss said.
But a source told AAP on Wednesday the reward was being claimed.
Speculation about how Freeman came to be in Thologolong has been rife, although Neil Sutherland insisted his brother Rick, who owns the property where Freeman was found, had no idea.
He said his brother had been in Tasmania at the time and, unlike Freeman, was not a sovereign citizen.
Mr Sutherland, who lives two properties from the site of the shooting, has reportedly said his brother has contacted police to offer his assistance.
Freeman's body was formally identified on Wednesday, with homicide squad detectives continuing to lead the investigation on site.
A recent fire in the Walwa-Mt Lawson State Park, sparked by a lightning strike near where Freeman was found, will also form part of inquiries, police confirmed.
The location is metres away from the Kennedys Reserve campsite, which is known for its fishing and tranquility.
Retiree Wayne, who did not wish to have his surname published for privacy reasons, had visited the site two weeks ago and didn't see or hear anything unusual, so much so he decided to return on Monday.
He couldn't believe he was camping so close to the property.
"What are the chances," the camper said.
Freeman was wanted for shooting dead Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart-Hottart, who were among a team of officers serving a warrant at his Porepunkah home in late August.
The coroner would examine all three deaths in detail to establish who died, how they died and what could be done to prevent future deaths, Queensland University of Technology forensic criminologist Claire Ferguson said.
As part of that process, a brief of evidence will be compiled, witnesses will be called and the judicial official will study the final moments of Freeman's life and the police decision to shoot him.
"They'll have a full reconstruction of what actually occurred and that might be establishing people's exact positioning in the scene and forensic evidence," Dr Ferguson said.
Footage showed Freeman wrapped in a blanket when he emerged from a shipping container, which appeared to be part of a makeshift campsite, before pulling out a gun and pointing it at police.
Child sexual abuse allegations levelled against Freeman will be investigated to inform the coroner on police's initial decision to attend his property, but a finding of guilt would not be made, Dr Goldsworthy said.
The coronial process is expected to deliver much-needed answers for the families of the slain officers and Freeman.
"This will be the final stage of closure for them," Dr Goldsworthy said.
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