Lead detective tasked with investigating Zach Rolfe over fatal Outback shooting has been SACKED for allegedly faking nude pics of junior female colleague and impersonating her on dating app

EXCLUSIVE 

The senior detective who pursued former Outback cop Zach Rolfe for murder has been fired for allegedly impersonating a female colleague – and trading fake nude pictures purporting to be her – on a dating app. 

Daily Mail Australia can reveal former detective senior sergeant Wayne Newell was summarily sacked from the Northern Territory Police Force on Friday afternoon. 

Mr Newell’s dismissal comes after an intensive, weeks-long investigation following complaints of serious professional misconduct by the former top cop. 

NT police would not comment directly on Mr Newell’s dismissal, citing concerns about ‘privacy and confidentiality of all individuals involved’.

However, the force confirmed 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 following serious breaches of discipline under the Police Administration Act 1978,’ a spokesman said in a statement.

‘An internal investigation was promptly launched after the allegations were made, leading to the officer’s dismissal [on Friday] afternoon.’

Mr Newell led the murder investigation into former decorated NT constable Zach Rolfe, who retained the full support of his parents Debbie and Richard right through to his acquittal

The investigation related to allegations Mr Newell had set up a fake dating profile under the name of a junior female police colleague and used it to interact with would-be suitors. 

It is understood police allege Mr Newell was trading sexually explicit images with an unnamed male victim during some of the online interactions. 

Sources said the female officer reported the existence of the fake profile to Mr Newell after a man arrived at the NT’s police headquarters with flowers for her, claiming they had been exchanging romantic messages via the app. 

It is understood she sought out Mr Newell’s advice on how to best handle the matter as he was a trusted, senior colleague – and the head of the NT’s Special References Unit, which investigates these types of crimes. 

She also confided in him that the fake profile had been soliciting and exchanging sexually explicit images with the male victim. 

Mr Newell was suspended on full pay throughout a lengthy internal investigation before he was ultimately dismissed. However, no charges against him have yet been laid. 

The former detective played a central role in the criminal investigation and failed prosecution of former NT constable Zach Rolfe for murder following a fatal shooting in the heart of the Australian Outback five years ago.

Mr Rolfe was found not guilty of murdering Kumanjayi Walker during an arrest in the Outback

Police body camera vision captured the moment Mr Rolfe fatally shot the 19-year-old in 2019

Mr Rolfe shot dead Kumanjayi Walker after discharging his service-issued semi-automatic Glock pistol three times during an arrest at the remote community of Yuendumu, about three hours north-west of Alice Springs on November 9,  2019.

He was controversially charged with the 19-year-old’s murder just four days later, before being sensationally acquitted in 2022. 

Mr Rolfe’s lawyers filed a complaint about Mr Newell’s conduct during the investigation into Mr Walker’s death – codenamed Operation Charwell – with the NT’s acting police commissioner, Michael Murphy, last June.

In the complaint, they accused Mr Newell of manipulating the evidence of a critical independent criminologist and allegedly withholding crucial information from the defence team. 

Mr Murphy subsequently referred the matter to Victoria Police for an independent review last September, saying they took  ‘any complaint very seriously.’

While it is understood that investigation has since been completed, the findings will not be made public until Coroner Elisabeth Armitage’s inquest into Mr Walker’s death is finalised.