I somehow think he went on a bus, and then just took a bus back and is now just walking around in new york. Everyone thinks he has fled but they got nothing on him, so why leave. That would be more suspicious actually than just going about your everyday life.
Unless he was a pro assassin and survivalist. The option I would go with is a trusted friend (not family member) outside of the state that he could live with in their basement or something while growing a beard and somehow his general look.