The four-year hunt for a man on the run with his three children in New Zealand came to an end on 8 September 2025 when he was shot dead by police.
Tom Phillips disappeared in New Zealand along with Jayda, 12, Maverick, 10, and Ember, 9, in 2021 after a reported dispute with their mother.
Since December 2021 he was a fugitive along with his kids and is believed to have spent much of the intervening years hiding in the New Zealand wilderness.
Phillips was shot dead by police on 8 September in Piopio, Waikato on the North Island, with a shootout breaking out in the early hours of the morning following a burglary.
The police have since released images of a campsite where he and his children had been staying in Waitomo.
Released on 9 September, the images depict a shabby camping setup, a quad bike, tyres, and cans of soda.
It is believed that he and his children has been subsisting on food Phillips grew himself and by foraging. He also allegedly attempted to rob a grocery store in 2023.
When the family first disappeared in 2021, Phillips’ abandoned Toyota Hilux was found left on a beach in Kiritehere.
Local resident Nora Haupokia said she had encountered Phillips and his children around that time, with the children telling her about what they had been living on during those early days.
"[His eldest, Jayda] mentioned watercress and smoked eels… and bread," said Haupokia. "Just stuff you’d normally eat at home. That’s what they were used to — that’s what they were eating in the bush."
Phillips’ children were ‘unharmed’ and ‘now safe’ according to a police statement. One of the children had been with Phillips at the time of the shooting and was taken into custody before their two siblings were recovered.
"The makeshift camp was located by specialist Police, acting on information from one of the children," said police said in the 9 September statement.
"A large-scale investigation is continuing into the shooting, which happened about 3.25 a.m. [local time] on Monday on Te Anga Road.”
An officer who attended the scene was reportedly injured and is now recovering in hospital.
Police captured Phillips by laying spikes in the path of his quad bike.
"A number of areas in Western Waikato remain under scene guard as Police process evidence following Monday morning’s events," the police said in an update, adding that ‘the camp area in Waitomo and the scene of the shooting remain active crime scenes, with forensic staff on site today to gather evidence’.
"Three firearms, including the weapon used by Phillips, have been recovered from the scene of the shooting. Several firearms have been located from the area where Phillips was camping, and further details will be shared when they become available," the update continued.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers confirmed a number of investigations were underway into the incident, including an Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation, Coronial enquiries, and a Critical Incident Review.
“The body of Tom Phillips was removed from the scene late yesterday and there will be a [post-mortem] tomorrow, after which his body will be released to his family," said Jill Rodgers, Acting Deputy Commissioner.
“Investigation staff are going over the areas where the family had been staying, and have been speaking with farmers, locals, and workers in the area. That work is to help us build an accurate picture of the movements of Tom Phillips and the children.”
The children have since been reunited and are being cared for by the Oranga Tamariki.
Their mother, Cat, spoke to Radio New Zealand’s Mata Podcast and said: "[The children] have been dearly missed every day for nearly four years, and we are looking forward to welcoming them home with love and care."
Featured Image Credit: DJ MILLS / Contributor/Getty ImagesTopics: News
Rachael Davis