The popularity of Netflix’s documentary series, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, has spurred a Florida sheriff to ask for leads in the disappearance of Carole Baskin’s first husband, Don Lewis. Tiger King‘s story unfolds across seven episodes, examining why eccentric zookeeper, Joe Exotic, would hire a man to kill Baskins, an animal rights activists and owner of Big Cat Rescue, a wildlife sanctuary.
Tiger King is set in the truly bizarre world of exotic animal ownership and roadside zoos, and that is especially true of the establishment run by Joseph Maldonado-Passage – better known by his stage name, Joe Exotic. His zoo, Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, is a frequent target of Baskin’s, and she’s quickly established as the nemesis of those in the exotic animal trade and the story’s potential hero – that is, until her own shady past is revealed. As viewers learn in Tiger King‘s third episode, “The Secret”, Carole was previously married to Jack Donald “Don” Lewis, a multimillionaire with whom she first began rescuing big cats. He mysteriously disappeared in 1997 and is presumed dead, and the fallout surrounding his disappearance led to a nasty inheritance battle between Carole and Don’s previous family. The still unsolved case also fueled rumors, such as the one heavily propagated by Joe Exotic that Carole murdered her husband to get his money and fed his body to a tiger.
The unexplained disappearance of Don Lewis is just one of the many wild threads weaved throughout Tiger King, but in light of the docuseries’ immense popularity, a Florida sheriff is using this as an opportunity to gather new leads in the cold case. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister is asking for anyone with information concerning Don Lewis or his whereabouts to please come forward. You’ll find more information, including the phone number at which to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, in the tweet below.
Tiger King is full of twists and turns that will leave viewers shocked, and each episode introduces one wild character after another into the already unbelievable-but-true narrative. The reveal that Carole may not be as innocent as audiences are first led to believe is just one of many unexpected developments. Tiger King manages to give a fair presentation of the known facts surrounding the Don Lewis case, but it’s still difficult to see Carole in the same light once the truth about her past is revealed.
This revelation coupled with the documentary’s suggestion that Carole also profits off the captivity of exotic animals illustrates how there’s no clear “good guy” in Tiger King. But then that’s all part of the film’s allure, as it casts just about everyone in some shade of gray, highlighting how even those with the best intentions can sometimes wind up doing terrible things.
