Yesterday, it seemed like the already bizarre tale of Joe Exotic, the star of Netflix’s hit documentary Tiger King was about to take a macabre twist. TMZ reported that cadaver dogs were combing the zoo and that they’d zeroed in on potential human remains in the alligator pit. The internet promptly went wild, assuming that some unfortunate enemy of Joe Exotic had been fed to the gators.
Then, sheriffs dug up the pit to discover bones that appeared to be “the skeleton of a small animal with a tail.” Well, that’s an anticlimax for true crime fans, but at least nobody had actually been fed to alligators at the farm. Still, there are human remains on site, as Joe Exotic revealed that four people asked to have their ashes scattered on the property as a memorial.
Even beyond that, there may something spookier going on in Wynnewood. The park is currently owned by Jeff Lowe (though will soon become the property of Carol Baskin), who revealed a further dark secret in a recent interview, saying:
“Lauren and I tried to donate it to the Indian Nation about a year ago because we knew that there were the remains of a young Indian boy buried here and we thought that the nation should have the first opportunity to protect this land and his grave.”
So wait, Joe Exotic built his tiger park on top of an ancient burial ground?! Right, I’m going start writing a script about a group of cocky teenagers breaking into Joe Exotic’s abandoned zoo and being menaced by ghost tigers. Does anyone have Jason Blum’s number?
In the meantime, Jeff Lowe is constructing a new zoo in Thackerville, Oklahoma, Carol Baskin is set to assume control of the Wynnewood location and Joe Exotic remains unhappily incarcerated. Still, I have a feeling that this crazy tale isn’t over yet…