A convicted murderer who escaped from Tongariro Rangipo prison on Thursday afternoon has been recaptured.
Christopher Thomas Watkins was apprehended at about 10.30pm while walking along State Highway One south of Turangi. Police say he did not put up any resistance.
Watkins was jailed in 1988 and is serving a life sentence.
The Corrections Department said the prison gate was unlocked and Watkins simply walked out. Prison officers noticed he was missing at about 1pm.
