The former zookeeper married Brian Rhyne in 1986 and lasted until Rhyne's death in 2001. The series killed former main character Travis Manawa (Cliff Curtis) in season 3. On October 6, 2017, Maldonado showed off a Ruger pistol to the park's gift shop employees, including Exotic's campaign manager Joshua Dial (via Cinemaholic ). Travis' drug issues were . One of Joe Exotic's husbands Travis Maldonado died in a tragic accidental suicide. Zoo owner, Joe Exotic, his sordid relationships with four different husbands, and his ongoing rivalry with animal rights activist, Carole Baskin. Both Finlay and Maldonado reportedly identified as straightand had rough backgrounds, according to New York Magazine, with Joe offering something of a sanctuary for his partners. .css-16fbwkt{display:block;font-family:GraphikBold,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-16fbwkt:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-16fbwkt{font-size:1.05rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-16fbwkt{font-size:1.28598rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-16fbwkt{font-size:1.39461rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-16fbwkt{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.3;}}Why Dr. Neuman in 'The Last of Us' Looks Familiar, Yellowstone Fans Wont Want to Miss Tulsa King, 'The Last of Us' Is Full of Video Game Easter Eggs, Why 1883 Fans Are Asking Tim McGraw to Be Safe, 'The Last of Us' Stars Daughter of a Famous Actor, Gronk on Tom Brady's Rumored Patriots Return, Brie Larson Shows Off Her Tattoo Transformation, Stephen A. on His New Memoir 'Straight Shooter', Jennifer Garner Posts Throwback Swimsuit Video, How HBO Changes The Last of Us From the Game, 'The Last of Us' Episode 1: Apocalypse Now. Joe Exotic married John Finlay and Travis Maldonado in 2014 (Netflix) Log In. After watching Tiger King and seeing what happened to Travis Maldonado, it just broke my heart and I wanted to know more about him, unfortunately there is not much out there about him or his. Joe just bought him a Ruger. I definitely have PTSD. Zoo in Oklahoma before being arrested and convicted for the murder-for-hire plot against animal rights activist Carole Baskin. Travis died on October 6th, 2o17. The wild life of the .css-16acfp5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#d2232e;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-16acfp5:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:yellow;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}"Tiger King" Joe Exotic features not one, not two, but four husbandsand two of them at the same timeand all is being explored in Netflix's new documentary series, The Tiger King. If you dont have personal triggers around graphic depictions of suicide or abuse and are planning to watchNetflixs new docuseries, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,stop reading now the following post contains spoilers. But Dial says there was no way for anyone to save Maldonado. He wanted to prove that so he took out the magazine. Unfortunately, the gun went off, killing him. They wed two-months after Joe's husband Travis Maldonado's death by a self-inflicted gunshot, which is thought to have been an accident Joe is serving 22-years for a murder-for-hire plot against . I dont want to have to ask for help, but I know that everything I went through, especially working over a-year-and-a-half looking at that bullet hole thousands of times, I need help, he told People. One of Joes employees suggested taking Travis in, thinking that working around animals would help the young boy stay off drugs. At the time, Travis was playing around at the zoo's gift shop and showing off his Ruger pistol to one of the staff. This article originally appeared on the NY Post and was reproduced with permission. Warning:This piece contains spoilers about the docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.. . In 2017 everybody got shocked when news about Travis' death came. By the time they arrived, Travis had passed away. That poor kid :( I feel like his life was messed up from the start (mom definitely on drugs. He shot his guns every day and to try to explain how something so stupid could happen. Joe also addressed Travis tragic demise officially. These personalities might not be as outrageous as Joe (he's in a league of his own), but they're worth exploring. Dial alleges that Joe Exotic, aka Joe Madonado-Passage, forced him to watch videos of one of the zoos tigers attacking zoo staffer Saff, who ended up losing her arm. Probably nice or an empath and got used and abused tragic . Authorities responded to a 911 call from the park around 12:30 PM. The Netflix docuseries,Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,focuses on Joe "Exotic"Maldonado-Passage, the former owner of Oklahoma's Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park. According to the fundraising page, which was created by the hosts of a Libertarian podcast Dial appeared on, watching Maldonados death wasnt the only aspect of working with Joe Exotic thats still haunting him: the aftermath is, too. Undoubtedly, those close to him continue to mourn the man, who is still loved by Joe as well as his own family. Only death could relieve that pain. . A month later, Maldonado and John Finlay married Joe in a three-way ceremony. Ive had so much love coming in my direction I cant even respond to it now.. We've received your submission. At the time, Exotic was running for Oklahoma governor. Among those men is Travis Maldonado, who met an early fate in 2017. He is popularly known as the husband of the Tiger King named Joe Exotic. Binge-worthy entertainment news and celebrity interviews. I joined The Mighty because I believe storytelling is a powerful tool in raising awareness about mental health and trauma. Travis obituary reads, The life, the love, the smiles that someone brings to you is what is the most important thing this earth can ever give you. A rivalry between big cat eccentrics takes a dark turn when Joe Exotic, a controversial animal park boss, is caught in a murder-for-hire plot. Dial, then the manager of Joe Exotics long-shot Oklahoma gubernatorial campaign, said he still relives the trauma from that fateful 2017 day. An insider has revealed Aussie actor Samuel Johnson was visibly upset after a brutal on-air rant about his former mate Molly Meldrum. [Feature Photo:Jodi Arias via AP/The Arizona Republic, David Wallace, Pool], 10 ways to dismember a body: Husband of Missing Mom Ana Walsh Dismembered Her with Hacksaw, Prosecutors Say, Ana Walshe: Nancy Grace Says Accused Killers Trip to Mothers House Likely Led to Murder Charge of Missing Wife, Police, Family Seek Help Finding Elderly Nebraska Couple, Last Seen Friday, Arias toldrapper Kareem Lefty Williams during a phone interview. Joe Exotic's Third Husband's Fate is Disturbing, Why Dr. Neuman in 'The Last of Us' Looks Familiar, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Travis was a man who never understood people that are judgemental. You can check out the video of the same below. However, based on photos shared by his sisters, brother Maldonado was very much loved and will be forever missed by all who knew him. Less than four years later, on October 6, 2017, Maldonado was dead, according to an in-depth story by Texas Monthly. By the time they arrived, Travis had passed away. Joe met Travis Maldonado in 2013 when the young man was only 19 years old. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. putting the eek in cheeks ???? 1,136 followers View more on Instagram Comment Share Save 49 likes ashblonde89 He loves weird movies, watches too much TV, and listens to music more often than he doesnt. And that is especially cruel.. Maldonados sister, Ashley, recently posted a warning on her Facebook page warning viewers of her brothers untimely death. The series has been well-received(it has a 97 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes), but some folks have taken to Twitter to warn others about a triggering scene during episode five. Garvin County Deputies responded to the zoo on. He will be dearly missed.. Dillon Passage Dillon Passage Photo: Netflix Passage is introduced later in the series, appearing with Exotic during his doomed campaign for governor of Oklahoma in 2017. In 2017, Maldonado's death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound was indirectly captured on security camera footage, and that footage is shown in the series from the perspective of a co-worker. Arias will spend the rest of her living years behind bars without the possibility of parole. Never leave someone without those 3 words I Love You. Although authorities in Oklahoma believe Maldonado's death was an accident, some aren't convinced,as reported by the Daily Beast. A .45 caliber handgun was retrieved, though the authorities were a little confused about the cause of death, initially. The larger than life personality has been knocked down by life itself, several times. This guy has been through it all, the page said. I remember hanging out with him by the pool locker room with all the skater dudes. After Maldonados version of a wake-up call, he joined Dial in his office and said, Hey, did you know a Ruger wont fire without a clip? before he put the gun to his temple and pulled the trigger, Dial recalled to People. On 6th October 2017, Travis Maldonado was found dead. As people watch The Tiger King and learn the story of Joe Exotic and the world around him, they're also learning about Travis' role in the story, and the tragic way it came to an end. Unfortunately, he was wrong. Authorities responded to a 911 call from the park around 12:30 PM. His husband Joe Exotic called the incident a "tragic accident" during a news conference . Travis Michael Maldonado started a job the G.W. However, further investigation has not unearthed foul play being behind Travis demise. Maybe five seconds of his eyes I could read it and then he was gone. I was so upset. Netflix's smash docu-series Tiger King included plenty of shocking scenes - like the jaw-dropping moment Joshua Dial witnessed the accidental shooting death of Travis Maldonado, a husband of . Exotic started dating Dillon Passage, who would then become his husband just a few months later.. Authorities say on May 31, 2009, Escobar entered the east Austin apartment of 17-year-old Bianca Maldonado and murdered her. In 2015, when the jury again couldnt decide on sentencing, a judge sentenced Arias to life in prison. Privacy This is footage of accidental suicide of Travis Maldonado.May he Rest In Peace He was known to be good with handling guns and always joked around with employees at the zoo. His husband, Joseph Maldonado, known as "Joe Exotic," was not present at the time of his death, Rhodes said. After Maldonado's accidental suicide, Dial suffered from PTSD after witnessing the horrific incident. A coroner later stated Travis had numerous defense wounds on his hands. He held the gun up to his head to demonstrate this and ended up killing himself, as Garvin County Sheriff Larry Rhodes explained to The Oklahoman. Travis Maldonado's accidental death YouTube/WatchMojo Two years later, Maldonado died from a self-inflicted gunshot. Netflix's true crime documentary series "Tiger King" delved into the life of zookeeper Joe Exotic and his rival, conservationist Carole Baskin. Upon their arrival, Travis Maldonado was already dead, and there was a .45 caliber handgun at the scene. Though the suicide itself is offscreen, Travis took his life in front of another zoo employee, and the documentary shows the surveillance footage ofthe man who witnessed it. Travis, his husband, was dead. Like everything else in this saga, this story is hard to believe. #MightyTogether. As someone who has lost a loved one to suicide, watching that scene was extremely shocking and painful and I wish I couldve unseen it. She made sure she killed him by stabbing him over and over and over again and then finishing him off by slicing his throat. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The lab used to process the crime scene evidence has since been shut down over . Maldonado was 23 years old at the time of his death. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Maldonado was stabbed dozens of times and sexually assaulted.. Officially, Travis Maldonado died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Nearly all of the $US5000 ($A7880) goal for Dials counselling has been reached, and an update earlier this week said he has found a provider and is currently being seen. Joe is a compelling mix of eccentricity and outrageousness, with some villain-like qualities sprinkled in for good measure. He was known to be good with handling guns and always joked around with employees at the zoo. The documentary uses real . Its been a hard realization for me to come to. He passed away on October 6, 2017, after having an accident that involved firearm. In the footage (around the 20-minute mark), we see the zoo employee's look of shock as he watches Travis die by suicide. So far, a GofundMe page launched to help Dial pay for the counseling he says he needs but cant afford has raised more than $4,000. After a thorough investigation, it turned out that Maldonado died of an accidental suicide, per The Cinemaholic. Maldonado's death was ruled accidental suicide and a memorial was built for him on the park. Maldonado met a tragic end with an accidental suicide. Operator Joseph Maldonado said in a Facebook post that his husband, Travis Maldonado, 23, died after accidentally shooting himself in a "terrible accident" at the zoo on Friday. There are no doubts that Travis died in an untimely manner, and it is a death that could have been avoided. Joshua Dial, who managed Joe Exotic's gubernatorial campaign, said, "What Travis would do in the morning is he would kick down the door, point a gun at you.". But the series star Joe Exotic still doesn't know about the show's treatment of the death of his former husband Travis Maldonado. March 22 wouldve been Maldonados 26th birthday. He said, Hey, did you know a Ruger wont fire without a clip?, he says. Unfortunately, on Friday, October 6, 2017, Joe received the call that shattered his world. He said, You know a Ruger wont fire without a clip, and I said, Really?, and he said: Yeah. However, there was no magazine in the gun, and he said and was apparently certain that without that piece, the gun would not fire. He pulled the trigger and was wrongaccording to the Texas Monthly piece, he died on site before first responders were even able to arrive. I guess all of the circumstances were right for Travis to fall into Joe's grasp. 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