In December 2021, Tom Phillips vanished into the dense New Zealand wilderness with his three children—Jayda, Maverick, and Ember—triggering a nearly four-year manhunt that gripped the nation. Using his expert survival skills and knowledge of the rugged Waikato region, Phillips evaded police, elite military trackers, and an $80,000 reward while allegedly committing armed robberies to survive. The search ended violently in September 2025 when Phillips was killed in a shootout with police after breaking into a rural supply store, critically wounding an officer. His three children were found safe at a remote campsite and returned to their mother. This is the extraordinary true story of obsession, survival, and the tragic end of New Zealand's most wanted father.
","author_name":"Jack Laurence"}