Carole Baskin: The Mysterious Disappearance of Don Lewis
Carole Baskin, the founder and CEO of Big Cat Rescue, gained national attention in the Netflix documentary Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. Viewers became curious about her involvement in the disappearance of her former husband, Don Lewis. While Baskin has always claimed to be innocent, the mystery surrounding Don Lewis’s disappearance remains. Let’s take a closer look at the case.
The Life of Don Lewis
Don Lewis was a self-made millionaire and the founder of Tampa-based Wildlife on Easy Street, which later became Big Cat Rescue. He met Carole Baskin in the early ’90s when she came to him seeking help for an injured bobcat. The two fell in love, and eventually, Baskin helped run Lewis’s business. However, their marriage was far from perfect, with Lewis frequently leaving Baskin for days at a time without any explanation. In 1997, Lewis filed for divorce and accused Baskin of threatening him, stealing from the company, and even putting a gun to his head.
The Disappearance of Don Lewis
On August 18, 1997, Don Lewis disappeared. Baskin claimed that her husband went missing while on a trip to Costa Rica. The day before his disappearance, Lewis had taken out a restraining order against his wife, alleging that she was threatening to kill him. To this day, no one knows what happened to him.
The Theory
One theory that has gained a lot of traction is that Baskin is responsible for Lewis’s disappearance. In Tiger King, Joe Exotic, a former exotic animal park owner and a rival of Baskin’s, accused her of killing Lewis and feeding him to tigers. While this theory has not been proven, it has fueled much speculation.
Factors that make Baskin the prime suspect in Lewis’s disappearance
There are a few factors that make Baskin the prime suspect in Lewis’s disappearance. First, Lewis was a wealthy man, and his fortune enabled Baskin to build Big Cat Rescue. Without Lewis, Baskin would not be where she is today. Additionally, Baskin’s behavior following Lewis’s disappearance raises questions. According to Joe Exotic, Baskin did not show any remorse when Lewis went missing, and she even altered Lewis’s will to remove his family from his estate, making her the primary benefactor.
Furthermore, over the years, several individuals have come forward, alleging that Baskin was involved in Lewis’s disappearance. In 1998, an ex-employee at Wildlife on Easy Street claimed that Baskin asked him to dig a grave for Lewis. In a 2011 interview, Baskin’s former handyman, Kenny Farr, claimed that Baskin asked him to take a truck to the airport the night Lewis disappeared. Farr said that he found Lewis’s van at the airport and that there was a key under the floor mat.
Is Baskin innocent?
Despite the accusations and theories, no concrete evidence has linked Baskin to Lewis’s disappearance. The police never charged her with any wrongdoing, and the case remains open.
Baskin has vehemently denied any involvement in Lewis’s disappearance. In a blog post written shortly after Tiger King was released, she stated that the show’s portrayal of her was untrue and that she was “100% innocent.” Baskin has said that she suspects Lewis fled to Costa Rica, where he had a separate home and may have started a new life there. She also claims that Lewis was dealing with mental health issues and may have planned his disappearance.
Conclusion
The disappearance of Don Lewis has been a source of controversy and intrigue for over two decades. While the evidence remains circumstantial, many people still believe that Carole Baskin played a role in it. Only time and further investigation will reveal the truth.
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