Inside the idyllic vacation a senior cop spent with her ex-best friend before her spouse was imprisoned for the killing of an Outback Wrangler television star and she unleashed a vicious rant.
Last week, NT police officer Neil Mellon was arrested and charged with 31 offenses.
Chris Wilson, a star of the Outback Wrangler television series, died in a helicopter crash in February. Mellon is charged with destroying evidence in connection with the disaster inquiry.
Sandi Mellon enjoyed a trip to Bali in the days preceding her husband’s arrest.
Her dearest friend accompanied her on the vacation. She later published a vicious blog article about her.
Acting Senior Sergeant Neil Mellon of the NT Police has been charged with 31 offenses.
Sandi Mellon, a well-respected water police officer, was living the perfect life just two weeks ago.
She was sipping beers by the pool in Bali with her best friend while her husband Neil, a senior police officer in Darwin, earned a handsome salary.
On Friday, however, the mother learnt that the family home she shared with Neil had been raided by her NT Police colleagues.
Mr. Mellon, an acting senior sergeant in the Force, was placed in handcuffs on Thursday, shortly after reporting to the Darwin Police Station.
Later, he was charged with 31 crimes, including attempting to pervert the course of justice, stealing, illegally accessing data, and allegedly destroying evidence related to an investigation into a major crash. This accusation is believed to be connected to the helicopter crash that killed Outback Wrangler star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson earlier this year.
The Australian stated that authorities will allege Mr. Mellon flew to the crash site and recovered Mr. Wilson’s body while off-duty and before other rescue services arrived.
On the same day Mrs. Mellon learned that her decorated police officer husband had been charged with a multitude of crimes, she disclosed yet another personal setback.
Mrs. Mellon had a falling out with her best friend, with whom she had only recently gone on vacation, and expressed her regret that their friendship had abruptly ended.
On the same day that Mr. Mellon was indicted, his wife uploaded a photo of herself and her best friend wearing matching t-shirts with a critical caption on Facebook. The acquaintance had traveled with the party to Bali.
Mrs. Mellon stated in a since-deleted Facebook post, “See this woman here, she is my best friend – we did everything together, we have gone on many family camping and vacation excursions,” referring to her best friend.
Said that we were sisters and family. Been connected at the hip for three years,’ before criticizing the companion. The Daily Mail Australia has decided not to publish the critical article, which is no longer available online.
The intimacy of their connection prior to the breakup was clear in multiple social media posts, including one from their recent trip to Bali with a group of friends. They were even brought up together from the island’s airport.
The mother and her pals were seen on vacation photographs lounging by a pool and delivering food and supplies to folks in nearby communities.
The gang was also observed dining out and drinking some of Bali’s renowned Bintang beers.
Recently, his wife Sandi Mellon traveled to Bali with her pals. Later, she published a cruel post about her best friend.
Photos depict a carefree Mrs. Mellon lounging on a pool in Bali days before her husband’s arrest.
The group contributed food and goods to Bali’s native residents. Mrs. Mellon’s vacation began just days prior to her husband’s indictment.
Before their vacation to Bali, the two women frequently appeared on social media together, notably at social events.
Daily Mail Australia reached out to the former companions for comment.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Mellon’s husband has been suspended without pay from his position, and he and his family have received support.
Mr. Mellon is believed to have been friends with Mr. Wilson, one of the stars of the National Geographic television series Outback Wrangler.
Mr. Wilson was gathering crocodile eggs in West Arnhem Land while harnessed 30 meters from a helicopter on February 28 when the aircraft crashed.
In the collision, the 34-year-old father of two was slain.
Pilot Sebastian Robinson, 28, received significant injuries but surviveds the collision.
Outback Wrangler is a popular adventure television series recorded in remote places of the Top End and shown in more than 90 countries.
Sergeant Mellon has been charged with multiple crimes, including attempting to pervert the course of justice, stealing, and illegally accessing data.
Mr. Mellon’s alleged destruction of evidence in connection with a major crash inquiry is believed to be connected to the helicopter tragedy that killed Outback Wrangler star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson earlier this year.
Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson, star of Outback Wrangler, perished in a crash on February 28 in West Arnhem Land.
Mr. Wilson was one of the three cast members, including host and presenter Matt Wright and Jono Brown.
Before catastrophe struck, Mr. Wilson was swinging below the Robinson R44 helicopter on a sling to gather eggs from difficult-to-access crocodile nests in swampy places.
The body of the father of two was discovered 40 meters from the main debris at the King River crash site, according to an April investigation by the Air Transport Safety Bureau.
The chopper that crashed and its crew were one of three collecting eggs that day. One of the other crews discovered it after it failed to reply to radio calls.
Assistant Police Commissioner of the NT, Michael White, stated that some of Mr. Mellon’s allegations were related to an investigation into a significant collision that began in February of this year.
According to him, the police will charge that Mr. Mellon’s conduct “undermined the integrity” of the NT police force and the community.
“It’s vital to recognize that this officer’s conduct will be brought before the courts, and that the issue relates to the harm and mistrust of his position in the police force,” he told reporters on Friday.
Mr. Mellon joined the state’s police force in 1995 and served as the previous officer in charge of the Territory Response Group (TRG) for 15 years, making him one of the longest serving members.
The 47-year-old man joined the state’s police force in 1995 and worked as the previous officer in charge of the Territory Response Group (TRG) for 18 years, making him one of the department’s longest-serving employees.
Even the Dalai Lama and Barack Obama were entrusted to his protection when they visited Australia.
Mr. Mellon was the watch commander in Darwin, as well as working in Alice Springs and at the Police Training College.
In 2019, he was awarded the Australian Police Medal as part of Australia Day Honours.
Reece Kershaw, a former police commissioner, stated at the time that he had participated in a variety of tactical operations, including body retrievals and shootings.
Mr. Kershaw remarked, “During his career, he has seen painful, stressful, and dangerous situations, yet he acts with courage and goes above and beyond what is required of police officers.”
In 2016, he received an award for ‘excellent professionalism, bravery, and exceptional operational support’ for his efforts to rescue a visitor who had fallen from Uluru.
Mr. Mellon was granted bail and is scheduled to appear in court on September 22.
Family: The Outback Wrangler star, who was 34 years old, is survived by his wife Danielle and their boys Ted and Austin.