Tom Phillips went on the run with his three young children in late 2021 due to a custody dispute with their mother, who held sole custody. He disappeared into the wilderness near Marokopa, New Zealand, and lived off-grid with his children for nearly four years while avoiding capture despite a nationwide manhunt and multiple reported sightings. His disappearance was also marked by actions such as stealing vehicles and allegedly committing a bank robbery. The police believed he had help from some local contacts in evading capture. Phillips was known to be an experienced hunter and camper, which likely helped him survive in the wilderness. Ultimately, he was fatally shot by police during a shootout in September 2025, ending the four-year manhunt, and his children were found safe.
