MX23RW : Monday, February 24 09:47:03| >> :600:140909260:140909260:

Carole Baskin facing lawsuit from family of dead husband

Carole Baskin is hit with a lawsuit by the family of her former husband Don Lewis, who mysteriously went missing in 1997 and is presumed dead.

Tiger King star Carole Baskin has been hit with a lawsuit by the family of her ex-husband Don Lewis, who was declared legally dead in 2002.

Lewis went mysteriously missing in 1997, a day before he was due to fly to Costa Rica for a business trip and two months after he had filed a restraining order against his wife.

The hit Netflix series touched on Lewis's disappearance and explored the allegations from Baskin's long-term rival Joe Exotic that she had murdered her spouse and fed him to their tigers.

Baskin, 59, has repeatedly denied the claims and dismissed them as absurd, but now Lewis's family have filed a lawsuit against her in an attempt to get her to speak on the record about his disappearance.

"Amazingly, our little family tragedy has become your tragedy," Lewis's daughter Gale Rathbone said in a press conference. "Our search for closure and truth has become your mission also.

"We all know by now that [Lewis] was not a perfect man. But do only the perfect among us deserve justice?"

Baskin commented: "It's been my policy not to discuss pending litigation until it's been resolved.

"I had told some news outlets that I thought the press conference on 10 Aug was just a publicity stunt, but at that time was not aware there would be pending litigation."

The Lewis family are also offering a reward of $100,000 (£76,300) for information about his fate.

ID:409960: cacheID:409960:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2290:
Written by
Neil Wilkes

Follow us on Bluesky or on X/Twitter and like us on Facebook for the latest entertainment news alerts.

Media Mole's Lowest Ever Sky Offer: Get Sky Essential, Sky Stream & Netflix for just £15 a month + £0 upfront fee for 24 months!
Prices may change during this period. Ends March 19, 2025

Restore Data
Share this article now:
Carole Baskin of Tiger King
Read Next:
Carole Baskin gets huge I'm A Celebrity offer?
>
rhs 2.0
New TV Picks header

Monday, February 24


Married at First Sight UK: Reunion Special: E4, 9pm
The most controversial/news-worthy participants from the 2023 and 2024 series reunite - because why not, eh?

The White Lotus: Sky Atlantic, 2am/9pm
Belinda learns more about how they do things in the spa at The White Lotus Thailand branch

EastEnders: iPlayer, from 6am and BBC One, 7.30pm
Stacey needs to break the news of Martin's death to the kids, while Sonia has a heartbreaking call with Bex

The Baldwins: discovery+, from 12am
Docuseries following the Baldwin family in the run-up to Alec's manslaughter trial