ThoughTiger Kingstar Carole Baskin has denied any role in the 1997 disappearance of her husband Don Lewis, police have reopened the case.
While the Netflix documentaryTiger King : Murder , Mayhem and Madnessleft TV audience obsessed withJoe Exotic , he was n’t the only big - than - life character on the screen . His patronising - scourge , animal sanctuary rival Carole Baskin , had her own dumfounding story — including her possible execution of her first hubby , Don Lewis .
The unresolved mystery of Jack “ Don ” Lewis ’ disappearance lingers on after the conclusion of the seven - part docudrama series . Lewis , a ego - made millionaire , go away into flimsy air in 1997 after altering his will to give Baskin his property rights in the case of his fade .
The unusual supplement , though funny to local authorities and competitor alike at the clock time , had been mostly forgotten until the 2020 premiere ofTiger King . With renewed attending on the matter , Hillsborough County officials once again began ask : What happened to Don Lewis , Carole Baskin ’s hubby ?
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s OfficeIf alive, Don Lewis is now 81 years old. He’s been missing since 1997.
Hillsborough County Sheriff ’s OfficeIf alive , Don Lewis is now 81 years erstwhile . He ’s been missing since 1997 .
“ I figured it was a good time to ask for newfangled leads,”Sheriff Chad Chronister place on Twitterin the wake ofTiger King . “ Only you may aid solve the Jack ‘ Don ’ Lewis frigid type . ”
Some say that Carole Baskin vote down her hubby , feed him to the couple ’s tiger , and then destroyed all the evidence with her on - situation sum - grinder . But did she ? Or did he make himself go away ?
NetflixDon Lewis kept a tight lid on his personal finances before disappearing.
Inside The Relationship Of Carole Baskin And Don Lewis
Carole Baskin unravel away from home in 1977 at the age of 15 . With pipe dream of being a veterinarian , the teen girl expend her early year hitchhike and married her abusive first married man , Mike , when she was just 17 .
During a particularly bad nighttime , Baskin feed away from her husband . She was walk beside the road when a good Samaritan pulled over to expect if she needed supporter .
The human race told her if she did n’t experience good enough to get in the car , she could point a gun at her as he direct . He then enclose his hands around her neck and state he could stifle her to expiry .
NetflixLewis filed a petition for a restraining order against his wife, shortly before he went missing.
“ I know , ” Baskin said — before spend the night with him at a motel .
“ I fall in love life with him then and there , ” she write in her diary .
NetflixDon Lewis hold on a cockeyed lid on his personal finances before disappearing .
NetflixCarole Baskin posted a meat grinder on her website’s refutation of the Netflix documentary, stating she doesn’t own one big enough to grind up a person’s limbs.
The man say his name was Bob Martin , and that he work for a deep businessman named Don Lewis . Both Baskin and Martin were get married , so their relationship would have to remain a closed book . While the valet recount the accuracy about his wife , he lie about his name — he was the rich businessman .
The two lover pass on their respective partners in 1991 and grease one’s palms their first Lynx rufus . Happy as two cat - bang clams , they began breeding big big cat and made a sizable , 40 - Akka sanctuary their family . Within a few year , over 100 cats vagabond their “ Wildlife on Easy Street ” property .
They soon clashed over the Clarence Day - to - day operations , however . Lewis wanted to breed , sell , and lucre from the animals . Baskin increasingly felt this was base — which became the elemental government issue she later had with Joe Exotic , who survived on breeding big cats at his Oklahoma G.W. Zoo .
NetflixJoe Exotic supposedly paid felon Allen Glover $ 3,000 to kill Carole Baskin , with the hope of more upon completion .
Baskin began to name her husband as “ poisonous ” in her diary . Their fights grew , revolving around money and intervention of their animals . Baskin felt her control condition over Easy Street slipping forth .
Lewis filed a restraining rescript against Baskin in June 1997 and assure police she threatened to shoot him if he did n’t entrust .
The postulation was rejected , but Lewis make a transcript to his secretary — should anything occur . Only a few weeks later , Carole Baskin ’s husband disappeared .
What Happened To Don Lewis? Did Carole Baskin Kill Her Husband?
The last individual to see Don Lewis was Carole Baskin . She claimed he rouse up early one morning and suppose he was traveling to Miami . Though his van was chance upon desert at a local landing strip — and Lewis was an experienced albeit unsafe pilot — none of the employees reported seeing him .
“ He just literally fly into thin air,”said Hillsborough County Sheriff ’s Department patrol sergeant Greg Thomas .
NetflixLewis file a petition for a restraining ordering against his married woman , curtly before he go miss .
There was no evidence his plane took off , though Baskin claimed he probably fly under the radar to avoid being notice . This alleged desire to secretly escape , however , began to bother those closest to Lewis . It only took a few Clarence Shepard Day Jr. for his girl to publicly accuseBaskin of killing Lewis .
Did Carole Baskin kill her married man ? Lewis ’s daughter claimed Carole could easily bung his dismembered and primer - up trunk to the tigers , without a shred of physical evidence remaining .
Perhaps most distressing was that Lewis ’ will had been modified — and now tell that his property rights should transfer to Baskin if he disappeared .
Nonetheless , police never named her as a defendant . While Lewis ’ sept refrained from getting embroiled in a financially draining effectual battle with Baskin , Joe Exotic remained foolishly undeterred .
unluckily for him , a suit from Baskin left him indigent — then he was arrested for a murder - for - hire plot of land against Baskin in 2018 .
The Search For Carole Baskin’s First Husband
While Lewis ’ ex - wife Gladys Lewis Clark say Lewis planned on divorcing Baskin before he vanished , Baskin refuted that . alternatively , she claimed her miss husband was “ suffering mentally , ” was oblivious , and often did n’t know where he was .
Baskin suggest that if his solo - flight to Costa Rica via Florida turned sour , no evidence of his eubstance or the plane would be found .
She also suggested he could be lost , incognizant of his identity operator , and that this is just as likely a grounds for his disappearance as any of the grisly alternatives being lobbed at her by competitor .
To Lewis ’ former lawyer Joe Fritz , Baskin ’s claim are utterly groundless .
NetflixCarole Baskin posted a heart and soul grinder on her website ’s refutal of the Netflix documentary film , state she does n’t own one big enough to grind up a mortal ’s limbs .
Fritz say Lewis knew exactly what he was doing . A former associate of Lewis , Wendell Williams , go as far as submit the mental deterioration claim were “ all bull . ” He accused Baskin of “ setting the stage for the dementia and Alzheimer ’s ” so his fade would be leave alone unquestioned .
Most perturbing were the claims of Mark McCarthy , possessor of McCarthy ’s Wildlife Sanctuary . He toldTiger Kingproducers that one calendar month before he vanished , Lewis “ did mention to me that he felt his life was in danger . ”
Now , a few weeks after the docudrama serial publication hit screenland around the world , Hillsborough County authority have reopen their investigation . Sheriff Chronister tweeted inquire for information on the case , pronounce Lewis would be 81 geezerhood sometime if alive , about 5 understructure 10 inches tall , and 170 pounds .
Baskin has since posted a argument regarding the matter on her website , calling the accusations against her “ laughable . ”
“ I never threatened him and I certainly had nothing to do with his disappearance , ” she wrote . “ When he disappeared , I did everything I could to assist the law . ”
Did Carole Baskin kill her husband ? She say no . Don Lewis has been missing now for over 20 years .
For those who do have any promising lede , the Hillsborough County Sheriff ’s Office can be reached at 813 - 247 - 8200 .
After learning about the disappearance of Don Lewis , study aboutMario Tabraue — the large cat zookeeper who makes Joe Exotic looking at tame . Then , study aboutthe chilling disappearance of three - yr - old Madeleine McCann .
