New twist in former Rebels bikie member linked to Rachelle Childs’ murder case

A surprising development has unfolded with a former senior Rebels member linked to Rachelle Childs’ murder investigation. Watch the video and listen to Episode 3 of the podcast.

Bikie rumours swirled in the shock of Rachelle Childs’ death.

That she’d been wrapped up in a local chapter of the Rebels. That a drug deal had gone wrong. That her fingers had been cut off in her killing as a show of her betrayal.

Rachelle certainly knew Alex “Sash” Mielczarek.

She had sold a car to the used car dealer, and local Rebels senior member, three months before her death. He had since offered her a job.

He had tried to call her at work on the Thursday she disappeared. His proximity to the victim framed him as a police person of interest.

Rachelle had expressed interest in attending a local Rebels party, according to two friends, supposedly set down for the night she died.

Watch the video of the Dear Rachelle investigation in the player window above.

Then Rebels senior member Alex “Sash” Mielczarek was framed as a police person of interest in murder investigation of Rachelle Childs.

The truth, however, seems to challenge these rumours.

There was no bikie party on that night, as Mielczarek explained to police less than a week after Rachelle’s death.

He worked until about 6pm on June 7, 2001, had a drink for a birthday at a neighbouring business, then took his wife and daughter out for a Chinese dinner which would be verified by witnesses and a credit card receipt.

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On the Friday, he tried to call Rachelle on her work landline to see if a Holden Statesman had arrived in the yard of Rachelle’s workplace, Camden Holden. He then rang her ex-boyfriend, Shane Loates, to get her mobile phone number.

Rachelle’s father, Graham, rang him on Sunday, asking about the supposed Rebels party.

Mielczarek told police he replied something like: “This is bullshit and I know where this is heading. I will talk to you out of a respect of being a parent and I can tell you that’s a load of lies. I will reassure you that there was definitely no parties.”

Rachelle Childs, pictured here smiling after becoming bogged while on holiday with a friend. She was murdered and her burning remains were found on the side of a road in Gerroa in June of 2001 – her killer has never been found.

Later, Rachelle’s mother Anne rang him. She was crying – Rachelle was dead. She wanted Mielczarek to inform Loates which he then did.

He gave police a saliva swab on June 27.

“And I’m thinking, Jesus Christ, you know, come on, you’re wasting time (pursuing me). I said to him, you’re wasting time f***ing hell. Oh, get on with it. Yeah. Move, move,” Mielczarek told the Dear Rachelle podcast.

Many Rebels would follow suit in giving samples almost two years later when police held a mass DNA screenings of volunteers in Camden, Bargo and Gerroa.

Police also asked Rachelle’s work colleagues, former love interests and any man who had spoken with her in the three days before her death to provide a sample.

They thought that they could compare the samples to DNA on a bed sheet found near Rachelle’s final resting place.

Sasha Mielczarek Snr photographed in his Picton Tattoo shop. He was once a suspect in the murder investigation of Bargo woman Rachelle Childs.

Police were surprised when the Rebels, in club colours, appeared at the Camden screen site. For then Detective Sergeant Mick Ashwood, who led a review of the investigation in 2003, the bikie turnout reaffirmed a nagging thought: that rumours of bikie involvement in Rachelle’s death had been a “red herring placed by someone”.

The exercise proved to be a massive distraction for the investigation; the DNA police thought they had would later be traced to a police officer who had been at the crime scene.

From suspect, to being ruled out as a person of interest during the inquest into Rachelle’s death, Sasha Mielczarek Snr has since graduated to an unlikely kind of family friend.

Rachelle Childs; sister Kristi Childs shows off her “Team Chelle” tattoo that was done for her by Sasha Mielczarek Snr.

From suspect, to being ruled out as a person of interest during the inquest into Rachelle’s death, Mielczarek has since graduated to an unlikely kind of family friend.

In 2024 Kristy, with friend Mindy, got “Team Chelle” tattoos from Mielczarek, who is now a tattooist.

For more information about our investigation, visit dearachelle.com.au

If you have any tips or confidential information, please contact investigative journalist Ashlea Hansen at [e-mail].

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