Lead detective in charge of investigating Zach Rolfe in connection with fatal Outback shooting has been FIRED for allegedly faking nude photos of younger female colleague and impersonating her on dating app
- WARNING: This story contains an image of a deceased Indigenous person
- Lead investigator in infamous Outback shooting fired
- Wayne Newell accused of sending explicit images from fake dating profile
EXCLUSIVE
The lead detective who prosecuted former Outback cop Zach Rolfe for murder has been fired after allegedly posing as a female colleague and exchanging fake nude photos claiming to be a female colleague on a dating app.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal that former Detective Wayne Newell was summarily dismissed from the Northern Territory Police Service on Friday afternoon.
Mr Newell’s resignation follows an intensive, weeks-long investigation into complaints of serious misconduct by the former top cop.
Northern Territory police declined to comment immediately on Mr Newell’s resignation, citing concerns over “the privacy and confidentiality of all involved”.
However, police confirmed that a senior detective had been fired following an internal investigation into allegations of serious inappropriate conduct.
“A 52-year-old police officer has been dismissed from the Northern Territory Police for serious breaches of disciplinary action under the Police Administration Act 1978,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
‘An internal investigation was immediately launched after the allegations were made, which led to the officer’s termination [on Friday] afternoon.’
Former Detective Sergeant Wayne Newell has been fired from the Northern Territory Police following an internal investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct
Mr Newell led the murder investigation into former decorated NT officer Zach Rolfe, who retained the full support of his parents Debbie and Richard until his acquittal
The investigation related to allegations that Mr Newell had created a fake dating profile under the name of a younger female police colleague and used it to communicate with potential suitors.
Police believe Mr Newell exchanged sexually explicit images with an anonymous male victim during a number of online interactions.
According to sources, the female officer reported the existence of the fake profile to Mr Newell after a man arrived at the NT police station with flowers for her, claiming they had exchanged romantic messages via the app.
She reportedly sought advice from Mr Newell on how best to approach the case, as he was a trusted senior colleague and the head of the NT’s Special References Unit, which investigates such crimes.
She also confided to him that the fake profile had requested and exchanged sexually explicit images of the male victim.
Mr. Newell was suspended with pay during a lengthy internal investigation before eventually being fired, but no charges have been filed against him.
The former detective played a central role in the criminal investigation and failed prosecution of former NT officer Zach Rolfe for murder following a fatal shooting in the heart of the Australian Outback five years ago.
Mr Rolfe was acquitted of the murder of Kumanjayi Walker during an arrest in the Outback
The police bodycam captured the moment Mr. Rolfe shot and killed the 19-year-old in 2019
Mr Rolfe shot dead Kumanjayi Walker after firing his police-issued semi-automatic Glock pistol three times during an arrest in the remote community of Yuendumu, about three hours’ drive northwest of Alice Springs on November 9, 2019.
Just four days later, he was controversially charged with the 19-year-old’s murder, before being sensationally acquitted in 2022.
Mr Rolfe’s lawyers filed a complaint last June about Mr Newell’s conduct during the investigation into Mr Walker’s death – codenamed Operation Charwell – with Northern Territory’s acting police chief Michael Murphy.
In the complaint, they accused Mr. Newell of manipulating the evidence of a critical, independent criminologist and withholding crucial information from the defense team.
Mr Murphy referred the matter to Victoria Police for an independent investigation last September, saying they took ‘every complaint very seriously’.
Although it is reportedly now complete, the findings will not be made public until Coroner Elisabeth Armitage’s inquest into Mr Walker’s death has been completed.
