Just one day after her husband was detained, the wife of a top Northern Territory police officer wrote a brutal Facebook post about her so-called “best friend.”
When her coworkers showed up last week at the Darwin house she lives with her husband, Acting Senior Sergeant Neil Mellon, and their three children, Sandi Mellon, a member of the NT Police, was taken aback.
At the Darwin Police Station on Thursday morning, Mr. Mellon, 47, was handcuffed by his coworkers only seconds after arriving for work.
After being detained, Mr. Mellon was charged on Friday with 31 offences, including trying to tamper with the course of justice, theft, and unauthorised access to data.
His allegations include include offences involving weapons, guns, and animals, as well as suspected evidence destruction in connection with a significant accident investigation.
Mr. Mellon’s wife uploaded a picture of herself and her “best friend” wearing similar t-shirts on Facebook the same day Mr. Mellon was accused, along with a critical caption.
Mrs. Mellon wrote, “See this lady here, she is my dearest friend – we did everything together, and we have gone on many family vacations and camping excursions.”
‘Saw us as sisters and relatives,’ a three-year hip-joint relationship.
The remaining portion of the message will not be published by Daily Mail Australia.
Before it was removed, the post had received more than 60 comments and more than 100 reactions.
A another picture of the two on a double date with the caption “best pals” can be seen on Mrs. Mellon’s Facebook page.
Charges against Mr. Mellon are thought to be connected to a probe into a helicopter accident that killed Outback Wrangler celebrity Chris “Willow” Wilson.
On February 28, Mr. Wilson, one of the stars of the National Geographic television programme, was gathering crocodile eggs in West Arnhem Land while strapped 30 metres from a helicopter when it crashed.
The catastrophe claimed the life of the father-of-two, age 34.
Before other rescue services arrived, Mr. Mellon is said to have flown to the accident site after it occurred and removed Mr. Wilson’s corpse while not on duty, according to The Australian.
Sebastian Robinson, the pilot, was critically hurt in the collision but survived.
The popular adventure TV show Outback Wrangler is recorded in the isolated Top End and is shown in over 90 nations.
Along with host and presenter Matt Wright and Jono Brown, Mr. Wilson was one of the three actors on the show.
Before the accident, Mr. Wilson was collecting eggs while hanging below the Robinson R44 helicopter on a sling.
A preliminary Air Transport Safety Bureau assessment published in April said that the corpse of the father of two was discovered 40 metres from the main debris at the King River accident site.
In order to collect eggs from difficult-to-reach crocodile nests in marshy places while the helicopter hovered above, Mr. Wilson was fastened to the line using a harness.
One of three helicopters gathering eggs that day was the one that crashed and its crew. After failing to answer radio calls, it was located by one of the other crews.
Presenter and host of Outback Wrangler Matt Wright earlier remarked that “the horrible tragedy (left) his family and crew (completely) saddened.”
A day after the accident, The Fordham Company released a statement saying, “(They) are grieved by the death of their closest friend and highly esteemed colleague Chris “Willow” Wilson.”
Before the helicopter crashed to the earth, its main rotor blade repeatedly slammed against and severed a tree trunk.
Initial analysis revealed that the engine had shut off before the chopper hit the ground.
Some of Mr. Mellon’s allegations, according to NT Police Assistant Commissioner Michael White, were connected to an extensive collision investigation that got underway in February of this year.
He claimed that according to authorities, Mr. Mellon’s conduct “undermined the integrity” of the NT police department and the local population.
On Friday, he told reporters, “It’s vital to recognise that the behaviour of this officer will be before the courts and that the issue is in connection to the harm and distrust of his position within the police force.”
The wellbeing of all of our officers is of the utmost importance in this situation, and it is a very disappointing, upsetting, and frustrating event that has taken place.
Mr. Mellon has been placed on unpaid leave. The police department has offered him and his family support.
The 47-year-old was one of the longest serving officers in the Territory Response Group (TRG), having worked there for 18 years. He joined the state police department in 1995.
Even during Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama’s visit to Australia, he was asked to provide security.
Mr. Mellon formerly worked in Alice Springs and at the Police Training College in addition to his present position as watch commander in Darwin.
As part of the 2019 Australia Day Honours, he received an Australian Police Medal.
Reece Kershaw, a former police commissioner, said at the time that he had participated in a number of tactical operations, involving shootings and the removal of bodies.
Throughout his career, he has come across upsetting, stressful, and hazardous circumstances, yet he still acts fearlessly and above and above what is required of police officers, according to Mr. Kershaw.
In addition, he received recognition in 2016 for his efforts in saving a visitor who had fallen from Uluru for his “excellent professionalism, courage, and superb operational assistance.”
Mr. Mellon was granted bail and is scheduled to appear in court on September 22.