Erik Cowie, known as one of the zookeepers featured in the Netflix hit show "Tiger King," has died at 53, according to reports.
A friend discovered Cowie's body Friday lying face down in a bedroom of a New York City residence, law enforcement sources told TMZ. The nature of his death is unclear, but according to the outlet "there's nothing suspicious about the death at this point, and no drugs were found on the scene." A toxicology test may likely be performed though.
Cowie appeared several times as Joe Exotic's longtime animal caretaker in "Tiger King" and remained at the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park after Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was imprisoned. Cowie previously admitted to having a drinking problem and revealed that he was "at the end of his rope" with his drinking problems before crossing paths with Exotic. Their friendship did not appear to last though, as Cowie testified against Exotic, accusing him of abusing and killing some of his zoo animals. This lead to Exotic's conviction.
Exotic was sentenced in January 2020 to 22 years in federal prison for violating federal wildlife laws and for his role in a failed murder-for-hire plot targeting his chief rival, Carole Baskin, who runs a rescue sanctuary for big cats in Florida.
In June, Baskin sold the Oklahoma property where Exotic's zoo once stood for a mere $140,000. The sale was made on the condition that the new owners do not use the property "to house exotic animals of any kind — or as a zoo, wildlife park or menagerie" for the next 100 years, according to TMZ.
Baskin's Big Cat Rescue was awarded control over the park as part of the $1 million settlement in her trademark lawsuit, filed in 2011, against Exotic last year.
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Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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