The Disappearance of Don Lewis: A Perplexing Case Yet to be Solved
The disappearance of Don Lewis, the former husband of Carole Baskin, has been a topic of controversy since August 18, 1997. Don Lewis, who was a millionaire and founder of Wildlife on Easy Street, went missing without a trace, and to this day, the mystery surrounding his disappearance remains unsolved. His wife, Carole Baskin, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, but allegations against her have been made on various outlets, such as the popular Netflix docu-series, Tiger King.
The Last Reported Sighting of Don Lewis
The last reported sighting of Don Lewis was on August 18, 1997, at his office where he met with his former assistant, Anne McQueen, and then drove off in his vehicle. After that, no one had seen or heard from him again. His vehicle was found abandoned in a private airport in Pasco County, Florida, two days later, leading people to speculate that he took off on his own.
However, this theory was quickly dismissed as Don’s family, friends, and associates noted that he had never shown signs of wanting to leave his family behind, nor had he ever discussed going missing. They claimed that he was a devoted father and husband, and he had disappeared under suspicious circumstances. As such, police classified his disappearance as suspicious.
The Relationship Between Don Lewis and Carole Baskin
Before Don Lewis’s disappearance, he and Carole Baskin’s relationship was anything but perfect. There were claims of domestic abuse and alleged affairs, eventually leading Don to file for divorce. The two had been fighting over assets and shared custody of their children.
Aside from their personal issues, many people saw Carole Baskin as the biggest suspect in Don’s disappearance. For instance, Don had told his friends that he feared for his life and suspected that if anything were to happen to him, Carole would most likely be responsible.
Theories Behind Don Lewis’ Disappearance
In addition to these allegations, people also focused on the narrative that Carole had purportedly fed Don’s body to tigers. Some believed that she had put him in a meat grinder, while others speculated that she had buried him on her wildlife sanctuary’s land. These theories stemmed from rumors that there were big cats at her sanctuary that had previously eaten human remains.
There was an investigation in 1997, but no solid evidence had emerged from the search. Though Don’s daughter, Donna Pettis, had indicated that there was a power outage at the sanctuary the night her father disappeared and that Carole had called asking for help, this lead was not seriously pursued at the time.
Carole’s Behavior Following Don’s Disappearance
In 2020, the Netflix series, Tiger King, brought renewed interest to the case. However, while Carole denies any involvement or knowledge of Don’s disappearance, people still question her story. Among the most suspicious elements is the fact that she created a new will after Don’s disappearance, effectively cutting his family members out of his estate. Her behavior following his disappearance has been deemed odd by some, including decisions such as leaving his van unlocked at the airport where it was found, as well as not providing his family much help in the search for him.
The Unresolved Mystery
The mystery behind Don Lewis’s disappearance continues to haunt his family, Carole Baskin, and the general public. Unfortunately, there has been no closure for his loved ones, leaving them with unanswered questions and the hope that the truth about what happened will eventually come to light.
To conclude, the disappearance of Don Lewis remains one of the most perplexing cases, with multiple theories and very few answers. Questions surrounding the case, such as Carole’s involvement, the possibility of someone else being responsible, or Don fleeing from his previous life, continue to fuel conspiracy theories and speculation. Until more evidence is found, the truth remains hidden, and the mystery of Don Lewis’s disappearance remains unresolved.
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