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What happened to Joe Exotic's husband Travis Maldonado? The tragic story behind Netflix's Tiger King

Netflix
Netflix

With its mix of exotic animal collection, drug addiction and murder-for-hire plots, Tiger King is easily one of Netflix's most shocking documentary series.

The utterly bizarre true crime story has been a hit for the streaming service, spawning countless memes and conspiracy theories, with its popularity even leading to the commissioning of a limited series adaptation.

Zoo manager Joe Exotic is the show's standout star, with his love life - and willingness to marry more than one person at a time - a key feature of the series.

But it's the tragic tale of his fourth husband Travis Maldonado, who died in his early twenties, that has stayed in the minds of viewers.

The pair married shortly after Maldonado's arrival at the zoo (Netflix)
The pair married shortly after Maldonado's arrival at the zoo (Netflix)

Who was Travis Maldonado?

Maldonado was a 19-year-old from California with a history of drug addiction, which is detailed in the show.

He arrived at Exotic's zoo in 2013 on the recommendation of a mutual acquaintance, the series explains.

It was hoped that by working with animals, Maldonado would be able to manage his addiction and Exotic put him to work on his animal park - but the pair soon became romantically-linked.

Not long after his arrival, Exotic married Maldonado, who was 32 years his junior, and John Finlay in a three-way ceremony.

However, in the fifth episode of Tiger King, viewers learn that neither of the men Exotic married identified as gay. Finlay left the throuple after he secretly got a zoo worker pregnant and Maldonado reportedly had numerous affairs with zoo employees and openly told Exotic he was straight.

In one episode, Exotic himself can even be heard on camera, admitting: "I fell in love with straight guys."

As time went on Maldonado's behaviour became increasingly erratic, which was exacerbated by his drug use. In one scene, he can be seen hitting one of the zoo's lorries in anger.

How did Travis Maldonado die?

They were married in a three-way ceremony (Netflix)
They were married in a three-way ceremony (Netflix)

On October 6, 2017 Maldonado entered the zoo's gift shop, where Exotic's political campaign manager Joshua Dial was working, with a gun.

The series, with the help of Dial who recounts what he saw, states Maldonado messed around with the gun, pointing it at Dial and himself.

When Dial asked the 23-year-old not to do so, Maldonado told him the gun wouldn't fire if the magazine had been removed. It is unclear if Maldonado knew this was false.

Maldonado then fired at his own head and killed himself instantly.

As Dial tells the story, Netflix intersperses his account with footage from the CCTV of the office as the tragic events took place. Maldonado cannot be seen on screen, the camera is instead focussed on Dial's shocked and horrified reaction.

What happened after his death?

In a news conferences shortly afterwards, Exotic described the death as a "tragic accident" and held a funeral service for his husband on the grounds of his zoo.

Maldonado's death was ruled accidental suicide and a memorial was built for him on the park.

Exotic started dating Dillon Passage, who would then become his husband just a few months later.

Maldonado's mother, Cheryl, attended the wedding under the impression it would be a big event.

In the series, she admits being shocked when she arrived to find just two other guests.

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