This ‘Tracker’ Season 3 Theory Could Prove Mel Is Colter’s Sister

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Okay, so I’ve been following Tracker and Season 3 is definitely different. There’s been a pretty significant cast overhaul – we’ve said goodbye to some familiar faces and hello to a bunch of new ones. One newcomer I’m particularly excited about is Cassady McClincy Zhang, who you might recognize from The Walking Dead. She plays a character named Melanie “Mel” Day, and I’m eager to see what she brings to the show.

Viewers quickly noticed something strange about the new assistant to Reenie (Fiona Rene), even though she seems friendly and enthusiastic. She made a good first impression on the lawyer, but she’s also oddly focused on Colter (Justin Hartley) and what he does, and I think I know why.

Mel’s Backstory Holds Some Clues


CBS

Reenie was interviewing several people for an assistant position, as she really needed help managing her hectic schedule. Mel stood out – she seemed bright, quick to learn, and already admired Reenie and her previous work. Reenie was so impressed that she hired Mel immediately. However, Mel repeatedly brought up Colter in conversation, showing a strong interest in his work and Reenie’s connection to it.

Mel explains her strong belief in different approaches to justice by sharing a painful experience from her past. Her mother was tragically murdered – shot while in her car at a rest stop – and the case was never solved. Mel tells Reenie that it felt like the systems meant to help her family instead focused on protecting themselves.

It’s clear Mel wants to talk to Colter and share what happened, hoping he’ll be willing to help, even though she can’t afford his usual fees. She might be looking for a job with Reenie to earn money, hoping Colter will offer her a discount since she’s now part of the family. After all, he’s the best chance she has of solving the mystery of her mother’s murder. However, I suspect there’s more to it than that – I believe there might be a family connection involved.

Mel Could Be Colter’s Half-Sister


CBS

Given how her mother died – shot in a car – it doesn’t seem like a random attack. It suggests someone specifically targeted her, possibly because of something dangerous she was involved with, something Mel might or might not know about. Mel’s mother worked in army logistics, meaning Mel likely moved frequently as a child. Living on army bases, she could have accidentally overheard information related to Ashton’s work. Considering Colter’s father also believed he was being hunted, there might be a connection between these two cases.

The first season reveals Colter’s father, Ashton, was having an affair with Lizzy’s mother, meaning he wasn’t faithful to Colter’s mother, Mary, and their marriage may have been struggling. Mel is young, likely just out of college. Ashton died in 2003 when Colter was a teenager. Considering Mel’s age, if she’s 22 or older, Ashton could potentially be her father, as a result of his affair with another woman.

There’s some speculation that Mel could be the daughter of Colter, conceived with a woman he didn’t know about. However, this seems unlikely because it would mean Colter had a child while still a teenager. Given his isolated life in the wilderness with his family, it’s hard to believe. The idea that Mel is Colter’s half-sister is more plausible. Perhaps Mel discovered her connection to Colter after her mother’s death at age 16 and started investigating him, hoping to uncover clues about her mother’s murder.

Some believe she’s an obsessed fan who will eventually show her true motives. She’s a true-crime podcast enthusiast and has been a great help to Randy (Chris Lee) in his latest case. The Season 3 episode, “Angel,” centers around a group of true-crime fans who accidentally locate a killer. Mel helps Randy find online true-crime communities early in the investigation, leading him to information about the missing woman. She later provides him with a list of unsolved cases that may be connected to the same serial killer the woman was investigating. Her interest in true crime might stem from her mother’s murder, or it could simply be a hobby that drew her to Colter and his work.

Missing Links Could Boil to the Surface


CBS

Eventually, we’ll likely find out what Mel is really after. Randy, now acting like Bobby, mentioned he thoroughly checked everyone before Reenie interviewed them, so he would have investigated Mel and found no red flags. However, in the Season 3 finale, he calls Colter with information about the leads Russell gave him concerning David Pearson – the scientist linked to their father.

Will this investigation reveal more about Mel’s background? Fans have speculated about a connection to Pearson – perhaps she’s his daughter or granddaughter. Some even think she might be involved in the crimes, either as the killer or a stalker. However, the show’s creators might be deliberately leading us to believe these things, when Mel’s true connection could be far less dangerous, but still significant.

It’s clear Mel is keeping secrets, and they might be connected to the larger mystery surrounding Ashton’s death. We already know who was responsible, who ordered the hit, and that Ashton was involved in something dangerous – something he rightly feared. Another scientist who knew him also died around the same time, under strange circumstances. Plus, Russell has been told his father was digging too deep. Before he died, Ashton entrusted a box of his possessions to Lizzy’s mother for safekeeping. The big question now is how all these pieces fit together.

As a film buff, I’m really intrigued by Mel. I’m not sure if she’s going to be a key to solving things, or if she’s connected to a completely separate mystery, but I get the feeling she’s not being entirely honest with us. She could be exactly what Reenie needs, but her interest in Colter’s cases is definitely raising some red flags – all the questions, the fascination with crime… it feels like there’s something deeper going on. Even if she isn’t a Shaw by blood, she definitely has that Shaw-like drive – that relentless need to get what she wants. You can catch ‘Tracker’ over on Paramount+.

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2025-11-26 18:33