Tom Phillips: Final Days

Fugitive Father’s Wilderness Years End in Fatal Shootout

A nearly four-year manhunt for a father who took his three young children into New Zealand's rugged bushland has concluded in a violent roadside confrontation. Tom Phillips, a skilled bushman who captivated and unnerved a nation, was fatally shot by officers, leaving behind his rescued children and a community grappling with the fallout.

The dramatic end to a long-running saga unfolded in the early hours of 8 September. A burglar alarm at a rural supplies store located in Piopio, a Waikato region settlement, triggered the final chapter. Accompanied by one of his offspring, Phillips fled the scene on a quad bike, only to be stopped by police road spikes on a remote stretch of Te Anga Road. In the ensuing moments, Phillips opened fire on an officer with a high-powered rifle, inflicting serious injuries. A second police unit arrived and returned fire, killing Phillips at the scene. The child with him was unharmed and taken into care. This set off a frantic, hours-long search for the other two children, who were eventually located at a concealed campsite deep in the bush, finally bringing their ordeal to an end.

The First Vanishing Act

This was not the first time Tom Phillips had disappeared. In September 2021, the fugitive father and his offspring, Jayda, Maverick, and Ember, initially went missing from their family farm in the coastal settlement of Marokopa. Their abandoned vehicle was discovered on a nearby beach, battered by waves, sparking a massive search and rescue operation. The initial theory was that the family had been tragically swept out to sea. The search involved aircraft, drones, and boats, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. After 18 bewildering days, the four walked back into the family farmhouse, seemingly unharmed. Phillips claimed the four of them were on an extended camping trip in the dense bush, stating he needed time to clear his head. The explanation was met with a mixture of relief and scepticism, and authorities charged him with wasting police resources.

A Permanent Disappearance

The family's return was short-lived. In December 2021, just before a scheduled court appearance for the wasteful deployment charge, Phillips and the children vanished again. This time, there was no pretence of a camping trip. He failed to appear in court in January 2022, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. This marked the beginning of a prolonged and frustrating period for law enforcement and the children's mother, Catherine 'Cat' Phillips, from whom Tom was separated. The family farm, located at Marokopa—a tiny, close-knit community on the rugged west coast of the North Island—became the epicentre of a mystery that would perplex the country for years. Police believed from the outset that Phillips was hiding in the familiar, challenging terrain of the western Waikato, a landscape he knew intimately.

A Wilderness Existence

For almost four years, the fugitive father and his young family lived a life completely detached from society. They survived in rudimentary campsites hidden within the dense, steep, and often inhospitable bushland. Sightings were incredibly rare, fuelling speculation about their methods of survival and whether they were receiving assistance. Police suspected Phillips was living off the land, a theory supported by purchases of camping gear and seedlings made before his disappearance. The isolation meant the children, aged five, seven, and eight when they vanished, missed years of formal education, healthcare, and social development. Their only contact was with their father, whose actions grew increasingly desperate and dangerous as time went on. The children's world was confined to the backcountry and the shadow of their fugitive father.

A Ghost in the Bush

The few glimpses the public had of Phillips were fleeting and often captured on grainy CCTV footage during brazen supply runs. In August 2023, he was confirmed to have been sighted driving a stolen ute in the Waikato area, wearing a surgical mask as a disguise. This led to a public appeal for information on several motorbikes police believed he was using. The case took a more serious turn when police linked Phillips to an armed bank robbery in Te Kūiti that had occurred in May 2023. During this incident, accompanied by one of the children, he allegedly fired a shot at a member of the public. This escalation added charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding, and unlawful possession of a firearm to his arrest warrant, transforming him from a missing person into a dangerous fugitive.

The Community Divided

The saga deeply affected the small communities of the King Country. Marokopa, with a population of fewer than 100, was thrust into an uncomfortable national spotlight. The Phillips family had farmed in the area for generations, and loyalties were complex. While many were deeply concerned for the children's welfare, a sentiment of support for Tom Phillips also existed. Some locals expressed the view that he was a good father teaching his children valuable survival skills and should be left alone. This belief was a source of immense frustration for police, who were convinced Phillips was receiving help from a small, loyal circle, allowing him to evade capture for so long. The suspicion that he was being aided created an undercurrent of tension and mistrust within the tight-lipped community.

The Search Intensifies

As the years passed, police efforts to locate the family grew more intense. Operation Marokopa involved extensive surveillance, public appeals, and the deployment of specialist search teams. In June 2024, authorities offered a substantial $80,000 reward for information leading to the family's safe return, a significant sum by New Zealand standards. The offer, which included the possibility of immunity from prosecution for anyone who had been assisting Phillips, was a clear attempt to break the wall of silence that seemed to protect him. Despite the reward and numerous tip-offs, the trail remained cold. Police regularly reiterated their primary goal was the safe recovery of the children, while acknowledging the inherent risks posed by a father they knew was armed and motivated to remain free.

Children as Accomplices

A particularly troubling development was the increasing evidence that Phillips was involving his children in his criminal activities. In November 2023, CCTV footage appeared to show him and one of the children trying to force entry into a shop. In August 2025, police released more footage of what they believed was another burglary at the same Piopio store, again with a child present. Detectives openly questioned whether Phillips had fallen out with his support network, forcing him into more frequent and risky burglaries, or if he had simply grown more brazen. These images of a masked father and child engaged in criminal acts underscored the profoundly damaging environment the children were being raised in, sparking renewed public concern for their wellbeing.

The Final Confrontation

The events of 8 September brought the long search to its violent conclusion. The alarm at the PGG Wrightson rural supply store in Piopio was the catalyst. Responding officers were informed that two individuals, dressed in farm clothing and wearing headlamps, had fled on a quad bike. When the first officer encountered the stopped vehicle, Phillips fired at him from close range. Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Jill Rogers later confirmed the officer was struck multiple times by a high-powered rifle. The arrival of a second police car led to the fatal shooting of Phillips. His death, while ending the manhunt, immediately triggered a high-stakes search for his other two children, who remained alone in the remote bushland.

Rescue and Recovery

The child who was with Phillips during the shootout was able to provide crucial information that narrowed the search area for the remaining siblings. A team of around 50 officers, including members of the armed offenders squad, converged on the remote bushland. As daylight faded, they located the other two children at a campsite, approximately two kilometres from where their father had died. They were found safe and well. Police Commissioner Richard Chambers described the immense relief of his staff, who provided the children with snacks and drinks. The children were reported to be engaging and willing to talk with the officers before being placed in the care of Oranga Tamariki, the country's child welfare agency.

The Aftermath for the Children 

The rescue of Jayda, Maverick, and Ember marks the beginning of a long and complex journey of healing. Having spent critical developmental years in extreme isolation, they face significant challenges. Psychologists and trauma experts have highlighted the potential for long-term psychological impacts, including difficulties with socialisation, education, and processing the trauma of their experiences, which culminated in witnessing their father's violent death. Their unstable lifestyle, moving between makeshift camps, could make adjusting to a structured environment like school difficult. The process of reintegration will require extensive, specialised support. The Family Court now holds guardianship of the children, with their welfare and best interests being the paramount consideration as they begin to reconnect with their mother and wider family.

A Family’s Apology

A month after the fatal shooting, Neville and Julia Phillips, Tom Phillips’s parents, broke their public silence. They issued a heartfelt apology to the community in a message printed by the local King Country News. The couple expressed their sincere regret for the disruption, privacy breaches, and material damage their son had caused. They stated unequivocally that they did not endorse or condone his conduct during the preceding four years. The letter conveyed their sorrow for the hardship local people experienced. Previously, other family members, including Phillips's sister Rozzi, had publicly urged him to come back, expressing their love and readiness to help him. His mother had also written a poignant letter expressing her daily hope for their safe return.

Unanswered Questions

With Tom Phillips dead, many questions about his time as a fugitive may never be fully answered. The police investigation is ongoing, focusing on identifying anyone who may have assisted him. Police Minister Mark Mitchell condemned any public support for Phillips, rejecting any notion of him as a folk hero and describing his actions as subjecting his children to cruel and unacceptable conditions. The discovery of the campsites offered a glimpse into the family's harsh existence, with police finding tarpaulins, tools, and stolen quad bikes. The case has raised difficult questions about parental custody disputes, community responsibility, and the ability of an individual to disappear in the modern age, leaving a legacy of trauma for his children and a community seeking to heal.