Sandi Mellon: Shock twist in the case of Northern Territory top cop, her cheating husband and the Outback Wrangler chopper crash
The scorned wife of a police officer involved in the ‘Outback Wrangler’ helicopter crash has been sacked from her senior police position over a series of alleged crimes, including threatening to kill her husband’s mistress.
Former Senior Sergeant Sandi-Lee Mellon, 47, learned her husband, Acting Senior Sergeant Neil Mellon, had a two-year affair with her ex-beauty queen best friend, Narelle Jose, on August 25 last year.
She then allegedly went to Ms. Jose’s home, threw a basketball trolley on the ground and screamed, “I’m going to fucking kill you, Narelle.” Don’t worry, when you least expect it, I’ll get you.’
Earlier that day, police had raided her home and charged Mr Mellon with 32 offenses in connection with the fatal helicopter crash in western Arnhem Land six months earlier that killed reality TV star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson .
His charges include attempting to pervert the course of justice, theft, unlawful access to data and alleged destruction of evidence in a major crash investigation.
Now Ms Mellon has lost her job as boss of the NT water police unit over her own alleged involvement in the aftermath of the crash.
She has been hit with six alleged disciplinary violations relating to the sharing of confidential information about the helicopter crash and the alleged illegal possession of saltwater crocodile skulls.
Narelle Jose (left) is pictured with Sandi Mellon (right) at a Christmas party during their three-year friendship
Neil Mellon (pictured outside his home in Darwin) had a two-year affair with his wife’s best friend
Assistant Commissioner Bruce Porter sent Ms Mellon a final resignation letter on September 8 after she appealed her dismissal in March, The Australian reported.
The first violation alleged that Mrs. Mellon called her off-duty husband on February 28 and told him about the helicopter crash, which had only been reported to police minutes earlier.
After the call, Mr Mellon flew to the crash site with Outback Wrangler Matt Wright, who owned the helicopter.
The disciplinary violation notice stated that Mr. Mellon was off duty at the time and had no reason to receive the information.
Mr Mellon, Wright and pilot Michael Burbidge have each been charged with criminal offenses in connection with the crash investigation.
They have yet to enter pleas, and their cases will be provisionally examined by Darwin Local Court in December.
Mrs. Mellon’s other violations include failing to report her husband’s alleged possession of unsecured ammunition, prohibited weapons, fireworks and saltwater crocodile skulls allegedly found in their home during the August police raid.
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright, pictured with his wife Kaia, is due to appear in court in December
Matt Wright pictured arriving at Darwin Local Court in November amid allegations over the helicopter crash investigation
It was also reported that Deputy Commissioner Porter said there was CCTV footage of the moment Ms Mellon allegedly entered Ms Jose’s property, threw a basketball trolley and threatened to kill her on August 25, 2021.
She then allegedly sent a text message to Ms. Jose, saying, βHey, you’re going to get yours, don’t worry.
“Actually, you should be worried.”
Daily Mail Australia previously revealed that Ms Jose had filed an assault warrant against Ms Mellon, but it was withdrawn for unknown reasons following a court appearance on October 18.
In an affidavit, Ms. Jose β who is married with two children β admitted that she and Mr. Mellon began having an affair a year after meeting through mutual friends.
“Ms. Mellon and I have been very good friends for three years,” she said in the affidavit.
‘Two years ago, Neil Mellon and I started having an affair. Neil Mellon is Mrs. Mellon’s husband.β
In her appeal against her dismissal from the police force, Mrs Mellon argued she was under ‘tremendous stress’ after her husband’s arrest and discovery of his affair.
Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson (pictured) was a fearless alligator egg collector in the Netflix show Outback Wrangler
Pictured: The scene of a helicopter crash that killed Chris Wilson in February 2021
Mr Porter accepted there were stressors in her life but said this did not reduce the severity of her alleged behaviour.
He said the dismissal involved a “high standard of proof” but he also believed it was in the public interest to terminate her employment.
Ms Mellon described her dismissal from The Australian as a “witch hunt”, partly because she had served in the police force for 28 years and her record was otherwise untarnished.
She denied knowledge of the ammunition, prohibited weapons, fireworks or crocodile skulls, saying it was “misogynistic” to assume she would have seen the ammunition because it was next to the washing machine.
She filed a formal complaint against police in October, accusing them of bullying and failing to support her mental health.
βI am being punished for daring to speak out against the executive branch and filing a formal complaint,β she said.
Ms Mellon’s criminal charges will be heard in Darwin Local Court on September 28.