A 29-year-old convicted murderer who absconded from temporary prison leave in Derry has been arrested in County Donegal following a nine-day cross-border search. Gary Anderson was taken into custody by An Garda Síochána shortly before 2 p.m. on September 23 at a caravan site in Fahan, near Buncrana. Anderson had been granted temporary compassionate release from Maghaberry Prison in County Antrim on September 14 to attend his father's funeral mass in Derry under strict conditions. He absconded from his civilian chaperone on Monday morning and failed to return to custody as required, triggering a joint search operation involving the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and Gardaí. In 2023, Anderson was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years for his role in the 2018 murder of Karol Kelly, a 35-year-old father of five who was fatally stabbed in Derry. Anderson's brother, Sean Anderson, was also convicted for his involvement in the killing and was ordered to serve a minimum of 17 years. Following his arrest in Donegal, Anderson appeared before a special sitting of Letterkenny District Court on September 24. Detective Garda Jason Conroy informed the court that Anderson was arrested under Section 3 of the Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act 1976. Garda Sergeant Jim Collins confirmed that no bail application was submitted, and the judge remanded Anderson in custody to appear at Letterkenny District Court via videolink. Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long welcomed the arrest, commending both law enforcement agencies for their cooperation. She extended her sympathies to the family of Karol Kelly and announced an independent review to examine the circumstances surrounding the court decision and security protocols that enabled Anderson's temporary release and escape.