If he walked away, I wonder how likely it is that he used a common trick and assumed a dead child's identity.
There is the cases of Lori Ruff, Joseph Newton Chandler, Paul Harrod, and Kimberly Kessler. All of them assumed a dead child's identity that was close in age to them.
Interestingly, IIRC, Paul Harrod (who's real identity is still not know this day) was thought to have pronounced some words that hinted him from being from PA. Lori Ruff was from PA, and I believe Kimberly Kessler (real name Jennifer Sybert) was also from PA.
Both Harrod and Newton Chandler used South Dakota as a place to do a few things with their identity maneuvering.
IIRC Harrod's car was found in Colorado, and Kessler lived in Colorado.
Kessler used Ohio as a place to live for a while, Harrod assumed a dead child's identity that lived in Ohio, and Newton Chandler was born in Ohio.
Ruff and Kessler both lived in Texas and Newton Chandler stole the identity of a boy who lived in Texas.
Coincidences? Maybe.
I always feel like there is patterns and repetitions and that a large quantity of things can be figured out that way.
If he walked away, I would not be surprised if he used and identity broker, put the "ghosting" technique into play as described, and is now living in Ohio, Texas, or Colorado.