In 2021, Tom Phillips disappeared into the bush with his three children. They remained hidden for years, and despite a mammoth police hunt, headline news, and even an $80,000 reward, their whereabouts remained unknown. But that suddenly changed when a police encounter with Phillips quickly escalated into a shootout, and the fugitive father was shot dead.

However, the story doesn’t end there, as questions arise as to how Phillips survived in the bush for years, and an investigation into his possible accomplices commences.

Today Wayne is joined by investigative journalist Michael Morrah from The New Zealand Herald, to dive into all the shocking details of this case, and what could happen next.

The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.

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