Brazil's federal police have captured New Zealand murderer and sex offender Phillip John Smith.
He is appearing in court in Rio de Janeiro in relation to the New Zealand arrest warrant and an Interpol alert.
Smith was located and arrested at a hostel in Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro, about 2am NZ time.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush told Radio New Zealand the focus now was to get Smith back to New Zealand so he can be returned to prison.
Smith left the country a week ago while on a three-day release from prison, using a passport issued under his legal name of Traynor, flying first to Chile, then on to Brazil.
Smith was jailed in 1996 for stabbing to death the father of a boy he had been convicted of sexually assaulting.
The sister of the man killed by Smith and aunt of the boy he abused, Lynda, said her family was ecstatic and relieved Smith had been captured.
“Let's hope he stays in custody this time.”
Smith's former lawyer in New Zealand, Tony Ellis, expected the most probable outcome for the convicted murderer would be deportation from Brazil on the grounds that his passport has been cancelled. This would be a much faster process than any formal deportation action.
