Double murderer recaptured after fleeing Sydney hospital and sparking police manhunt

A paroled Sydney man convicted of the grisly murder and dismemberment of two lovers has been recaptured after 24 hours on the loose.

Damien Peters, 50, was taken back into corrective services yesterday after disappearing for 24 hours.

He was last seen at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick about 4.15pm on Sunday.

Peters managed to elude police after allegedly forcibly removing an electronic tracking device, which was later located in Kensington.

But just before 5pm yesterday plain-clothes police spotted the fugitive walking on King Street, Enmore, in Sydney's inner west.

He was arrested without incident and taken to Newtown police station. He has not been charged.

The Surry Hills man was jailed in 2002 over the killing of Tereaupii “Andre” Akai, 50, and Bevan James Frost, 57. Both men were dismembered in Peters’ bath.

He killed them after contracting HIV and suffering years of mental and physical torture.

Peters was jailed for 21 years in 2002 and released on parole in November 2016.

Detective Superintendent Rohan Cramsie said police did not know what prompted Peters to remove his bracelet.

"We still don't know at this stage what has been the catalyst for him to remove the bracelet," he told 9News.