But why lie, at that time there was no crime, he was free to do whatever he pleased, go wherever he wanted. Even now, I'm not sure they can charge him with fleeing as he went hiking before he was a suspect and can claim plausibly he was off the grid and didn't realise people were searching. Even now, they are not saying he is a suspect. Many experts have come out and said he may be one, but LE are just not saying (I assume this is the case). But I don't think they would have hidden him during the camping trip as it wasn't illegal for him to go to Canada or Mexico at that time.