Walter Palmer is back. Or at least his dental practice in Bloomington, Minnesota has reopened, replete with a newly hired security guard at the entrance. Yet there was no sign of the man who lured, maimed, shot, skinned and beheaded 13-year-old Cecil the Lion earlier this year.
Palmer went into hiding six weeks ago following revelations of his African bloodlust. The balding medic with shiny teeth was spotted in his local neighbourhood on Sunday in casual dress, however according to the Mail Online, the practice said he was not expected to be at work on Monday.
The killing of Cecil led to condemnation through out the west, with Palmer offering unconvincing apologies via a public relations agency for torturing an animal to death.
In late June he penned a letter to his patients apologising for the controversy, which had "disrupted" the business. "For that disruption, I apologise profoundly for this inconvenience and promise you that we will do our best to resume normal operations as soon as possible," he wrote, unmoved.
The dentist remains under investigation by the US and Zimbabwean government over his actions.
Since the outcry, further revelations have shown Palmer to be a serial killer of animals, including deer, buffalo, lions, bears and moose. The dentist has a 2008 conviction for a felony in which he lied to the US Fish and Wildlife service about killing a bear outside an authorised hunting zone. He served a year on probation and paid a small fine.
Last month, his practice was turned into a makeshift shrine for the dead lion, with tributes and toys placed at the door. The front of the building was daubed in signs telling Palmer to "rot in hell."