re: Was Paddock a magician?

One could assume if he was working with someone else, his planned escape would've been facilitated by the accomplice(s). Whether that was interrupted or those theoretical (at this point) accomplices hung him out to dry remains to be seen. Also, as to renting the room in his name and living under aliases, if there was an escape plan I assume it was a short term escape plan for a final attack of some sort, not to go into hiding, unless you believe there was some sort of government conspiracy, which I don't.