Joe Exotic has responded to the claims made by Carole Baskin that her husband is alive and well in Costa Rica, despite being declared dead over 20 years ago.
Both Exotic and Baskin shot to fame in 2020 following the release of the documentary Tiger King on Netflix, which followed the feud between the rival big cat sanctuary owners.
One of the many elements of the documentary that caused intrigue was the fate of Baskin's ex-husband Don Lewis, who as per the New York Post, famously disappeared in 1997 - just two months after he sought a restraining order against his then-wife.
Despite many - including Joe Exotic - claiming that Baskin had killed her ex-husband, footage of an interview in the run-up to the second season of Tiger King is circulating, where she claims he was found alive and well in Costa Rica.
Speaking to the British talk show This Morning, Baskin claimed that Homeland Security had found her husband in Costa Rica and that a letter confirming this was produced in the build-up to the second season of Tiger King.
However, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has disputed these claims, as they told TMZ that they haven't had any contact with federal agencies regarding the whereabouts of Lewis and that the investigation into his disappearance - after he was declared legally dead in 2002 - is ongoing.
As per Sky News, Exotic is currently behind bars after being sentenced to 21 years for hiring two separate men to kill Baskin, as well as killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs, and falsifying wildlife records.
Despite being in prison, Exotic seemingly has access to social media. After seeing a New York Post article get shared about Baskin's husband being alive, he bluntly responded: "No he is not."
John Phillips, Exotic's attorney, elaborated further in a Facebook post: "During the filming of Tiger King, detailed efforts were made to find Don Lewis. They all failed. He is not alive.
"The 2021 report by Carole Baskin was further unsupported allegation. It’s being republished as if it has veracity. It doesn’t. The story of the Tiger King is filled with lies, setup, and misdirection."
"We still await a hearing for Joe’s freedom. The lies and setup are spelled out in his Motion for New Trial. Read it. The work is done," Phillips went on.
"The Cosmopolitan article based on the ITV report is false and designed to bring more attention to Carole Baskin."
Nearly three years after the world was first gripped by Tiger King, the story keeps unraveling.