In July 2015, Walter James Palmer, an American dentist and game hunter,[14] reportedly paid US$50,000 to a professional hunter, Theo Bronkhorst, to enable him to kill a lion.[15] Cecil was lured out of the sanctuary where he was shot and wounded with an arrow.[16] He was tracked approximately 40 hours later, and then finally shot dead with a rifle.[15] He was then skinned and his head was removed.[15] His tracking collar was missing from the carcass.[7]

The Daily Telegraph reported on 28 July 2015 that its journalists have “seen a copy of the relevant hunting permit”.[17]

According to the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, a local charity, the hunt was illegal. Neither Bronkhorst nor the landowner, Honest Ndlovu, on whose property Cecil was believed to have been shot had the appropriate permit for a lion.[18][19] The two Zimbabweans were arrested by Zimbabwe police and accused of assisting Palmer in the killing.[20] The two appeared in court at Victoria Falls and were charged with poaching offences for not having the required hunting permit. Both men were granted bail at US$1,000 each and have been ordered to appear back in court on 5 August.[15] Palmer returned to the United States, then issued a statement that he “relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt” and “deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion”.[21]

When one or more new male lions oust or replace a previous male(s) associated with a pride, they often kill any existing young cubs, i.e., infanticide.[22][23] Cecil’s six cubs will be killed by the new dominant male in the pride, according to Johnny Rodrigues, the head of Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force.[4]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_(lion)

www.cnn.com/2015/07/30/us/walter-palmer-whereabouts/