The primary motive, according to prosecutors, was of jealousy and anger. And that is especially cruel.. However, it must have had one in the chamber.. It was so shocking. Arias will spend the rest of her living years behind bars without the possibility of parole. Some flower girls were monkeys, and a Celebes crested macaque was the ring bearer. However, based on photos shared by his sisters, brother Maldonado was very much loved and will be forever missed by all who knew him. However, there was no magazine in the gun, and he said and was apparently certain that without that piece, the gun would not fire. Right then, he put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger to prove to me it wouldnt fire without a clip. Netflixs 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 Joe Exotic. Travis tragically died in October 2017 after he accidentally shot himself - a terrible incident that, rather uncomfortably, was documented in the series and happened in front of another zoo. He broke in my room, pointed that new gun that he said would not fire without a clip at me, and asked me to wake up. He shot his guns every day and to try to explain how something so stupid could happen. Joe also addressed Travis tragic demise officially. 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. The death caught him, and everyone who knew Maldonado, by surprise. The ceremony officiates Joseph "Exotic" Maldonado-Passage's polygamist relationships with John Finlay and Travis Maldonado, both of whom met him while working at his Wynnewood, Oklahoma, zoo.. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. She flew in a fit of rage when she learned Travis was dating someone else. She made sure she killed him by stabbing him over and over and over again and then finishing him off by slicing his throat. Travis Maldonado tragically died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound ( Image: netlfix) Tiger King's Joe Exotic was secretly 'scared to death of big cats' Killing Eve season 3 fans 'so f***ing. 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. 1 of 3 Netflix's smash docuseries " Tiger King " included plenty of shocking scenes, including the jaw-dropping moment Joshua Dial witnessed the accidental shooting death of Travis. One of Joe Exotic's husbands Travis Maldonado died in a tragic accidental suicide. He struggled with meth addiction while he was in California. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Per Standard, Finlay left the relationship after getting a zoo worker pregnant. 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. Despite Arias efforts to paint a picture of a life of abuse at the hands of Travis, on May 7, 2013, a jury found her guilty of first-degree murder. ), He was better looking than most actors and seemed nice and was probably trying to survive best he could life sux when narcissistic abusers take advantage. At the time, Exotic was running for Oklahoma governor. No jury is going to convict me because I am innocent. Exotic started dating Dillon Passage, who would then become his husband just a few months later.. See full bio Born: March 22, 1994 Died: October 6, 2017 (age 23) in Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, Wynnewood, Oklahoma, USA Photos 2 photos Hide all | | Edit Filmography Travis tragically passed away from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Travis Maldonado accidentally killed himself in 2017. According to witnesses, he removed the magazine from a pistol to show that it wouldnt fire without it, despite having bullets in the chamber. Dial alleges that Joe Exotic, aka Joe Maldonado-Passage, forced him to watch videos of one of the zoos tigers attacking zoo staffer Saff, who ended up losing her arm. "He was so good with his guns. Travis Maldonado (1994-2017) Travis Maldonado was born on March 22, 1994. On the day that he died, Maldonado did just that. Joe Exotic was devastated, and a funeral service was held at the zoo grounds. Areli Carbajal Escobar was convicted of murdering Bianca Maldonado Hernandez, 17, and sentenced to death in 2011. . Oklahoma Zookeeper Joe Exotic Indicted for Alleged Murder-for-Hire Against an Animal Activist, Alec Baldwin 'Rust' Set Shooting Was an Accident, New Mexico Medical Investigator Rules, Alec Baldwin Says 'Everybody' on 'Rust' Set Knows 'Exactly What Happened' in Accidental Shooting, Alec Baldwin Says He's Been 'Fired' from Acting Job Over 'Rust' Shooting Fallout, FBI Investigation Determines Alec Baldwin Must Have Pulled Trigger in 'Rust' Shooting: Report, Wis. Man Says He Shot and Killed 8-Year-Old Daughter While Trying to Teach Kids About Gun Safety: Police. Maldonado met a tragic end with an accidental suicide. it happened so fast.. i have seen the surveillance footage already but my sister Danielle hadnt and she f*cking lost her sh*t right now so i just wanted to warn you.. Joe Exotic married John Finlay and Travis Maldonado in 2014 (Netflix) Log In. | Dial says that after Maldonados October 6 death, Maldonado-Passage allegedly called a meeting and accused staffers of not doing enough to save his young husband and then made them watch a video of a tiger attacking a zoo staffer, leading to the amputation of the staffers arm. He is survived by two sisters, and his mom and dad who is in cancer remission as seen via sister, Ashley Maldonados Facebook page. Travis was a drifter IMO. At the time, Travis was playing around at the zoo's gift shop and showing off his Ruger pistol to one of the staff. To watch someone take their own life is a violation against nature. Authorities responded to a 911 call from the park around 12:30 PM. Maldonado incorrectly believed that if he took the magazine out of the gun, it wouldn't fire, even though there was a bullet in the chamber. A strangers death has never made me so emotional. Dial says he and Maldonado, who came to the zoo in 2013, were in his office at the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park when the shooting occurred. John Finlay Remembers Travis Maldonado - YouTube 0:00 / 1:39 #SiriusXM #Sirius #SXM John Finlay Remembers Travis Maldonado 46,025 views Apr 3, 2020 215 Dislike Share Save SiriusXM 1.21M. As per witness reports, Travis had removed the magazine and placed the gun to his head. Dial, then the manager of Joe Exotics long-shot Oklahoma gubernatorial campaign, said he still relives the trauma from that fateful 2017 day. Gone too far: Stars fears after Molly rant, Police investigation into Carole Baskins husbands death, Carole, Howard Baskin feel betrayed by filmmakers. The three men dressed in pink shirts and black pants. . Authorities found Mesa resident, Travis Alexander, 30, dead in his own shower with his throat slit, a gunshot wound to his head, and stabs across his back and body. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. They just showed his tragic passing and mived on to the rest of the bazaar shit. Surprisingly, he died in front of Joe Exotic's campaign manager, who revealed that he died of a self-inflicted gunshot. Maldonado, a "19-year-old meth addict," as Women's Health reports, started working at the zoo in 2013 and started a polyamorous relationship with Exotic and Finlay. Press J to jump to the feed. The incident isn't shown directly on-camera, but Joseph. "When Travis came around, Travis would smoke his meth." - John Finlay. This guy has been through it all, the page said. During the sentencing phase of the trial, a jury couldnt agree on whether Arias should serve life in prison or get death, resulting in a re-trial for sentencing. There was a bullet in the gun, but he believed that it wouldn't fire if a magazine wasn't inside. Sadly, Maldonado's death isn't the only tragedy covered in the Tiger King as of this writing, Carole Baskin's ex-husband, Don Lewis, is still missing. Warning:This piece contains spoilers about the docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.. Less than four years later, on October 6, 2017, Maldonado was dead, according to an in-depth story by Texas Monthly. Whatever feelings viewers have about Tiger King, Maldonados end is an unfortunate accident that took a life far too soon. There was no preparation for what I saw in that office. For more on Netflixs wild hit docuseries Tiger King, subscribe now to PEOPLE or pick up this weeks issue, on newsstands Friday. On Oct. 6, 2017, when Travis Maldonado was 23 years old, he shot himself in the gift shop of the GW Zoo. I joined The Mighty because I believe storytelling is a powerful tool in raising awareness about mental health and trauma. Although authorities in Oklahoma believe Maldonado's death was an accident, some aren't convinced,as reported by the Daily Beast. Finlay removed himself claiming Exotic had become controlling and manipulative, according to Screen Rant. If you experience suicidal thoughts, the following post could be potentially triggering. Unfortunately, he was wrong. Maldonado met a tragic end with an accidental suicide. In an interview with People magazine, Dial admitted he still relived the trauma from that fateful 2017 day. He believed that everyone was capable of mistakes, being who they are and being forgiven by not only God but fellow man for those mistakes. #MightyTogether. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison for wildlife violations and a murder-for-hire plot against animal activist Carole Baskin, after all. He shot his guns everyday and to try to explain how something so stupid could happen," he stated, as reported by Fox 25. Ive had so much love coming in my direction I cant even respond to it now.. His husband, Joseph Maldonado, known as "Joe Exotic," was not present at the time of his death, Rhodes said. Officially, Travis Maldonado died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. That spoiler scene hit me like a ton of bricks, my wife had her hands up on her face just like campaign manager did when it happened. It is also sure that during this attack Mr. Alexander suffered. He knew about the bullet in the chamber but believed that the gun would not fire without a magazine. However, further investigation has not unearthed foul play being behind Travis demise. I have nightmares about it.. Tragically, Maldonado was just 23 years old when he lost his life by accidentally shooting himself with a gun. There was no suicide content warning at the beginning of the episode. Travis died on October 6th, 2o17. But the real story is not at all what it "officially" would sound likeit was, in fact, a self-inflicted gunshot wound that. 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. The bizarre seven-part docuseries, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, has taken the world by storm. He was known to be good with handling guns and always joked around with employees at the zoo. It was so shocking. Travis Michael Maldonado started a job the G.W. Mala Bhattacharjee (@badnecklace) March 29, 2020. 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. Its not something that the human brain is meant to deal with.. She indicated that Travis was also secretly attracted to young boy and girls, something authorities again found no evidence of. Travis Maldonado showed up at Joe Exotic's zoo in December 2013. According to Joe, the shooting was an accident. 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. A month later, Maldonado and John Finlay married Joe in a three-way ceremony. April 16, 2020 Arguably the most shocking moment in all of Tiger King is the accidental suicide of Travis Maldonado. rivalry with animal rights activist, Carole Baskin. If youve seen the docuseries, you know that Joe had several lovers, and husbands, during his lifetime. There was no preparation for what I saw in that office, he told People Thursday. That very day he did that to me. Joe was already romantically involved with John Finlayat the time, but he still took a liking to Maldonado, and just a month after the young man began working at the zoo, Joe, Finlay, and Maldonado celebrated a three-way marriage in a dance hall across the street from the zoo, per Texas Monthly. Joseph Allen Maldonado (n Schreibvogel; born March 5, 1963), known professionally as Joe Exotic and nicknamed "The Tiger King," is an American media personality, businessman, and convicted felon who operated the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park (also known as the G.W. Heard about his death before the show came on and his whole marriage from my friend. Maldonado's death hit Exotic hard: My entire soul died, he later said, according to TM. From Joe forcing him to watch videos of Saffs arm being torn off as penance to rumors on the internet that he had something to do with it. A coroner later stated Travis had numerous defense wounds on his hands. Never leave someone without those 3 words I Love You. There, youll also find thoughts and questions by our community. Maldonado was 23 at the time of his death and was the first husband Joe legally married, as reported by Oxygen. 2022 Mighty Proud Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Some people drift in life from group to group or hobby to hobby so it's not uncommon for them to fall into a fad or a social group that they wouldn't normally gravitate towards, it just depends on time and place. He looks exactly how I wouldve imagined a high school version of him would look. Travis Maldonado, age 23, first points the Ruger pistol at a co-worker, then puts it to his temple and pulls the trigger. Their three-way marriage was eventually made into an official two-way marriage in 2015 after the law changed, and Finlay became estranged from the rest of the throuple. Terms. Dial is still so distraught from witnessing Maldonados death that a GoFundMe page has been created to help pay for counseling for him, which he said he cant afford. Authorities say the cause of death is believed to be a fatal. One of the stars of Tiger King has shed new light on one of the series most jaw-dropping moments the sudden death of Travis Maldonado. Maldonado, a California native, had allegedly struggled with a meth addiction, and one of the employees at GW Zoo suggested working with animals might help him recover,Texas Monthlyreported. I was so upset. At the time of death, he was survived by Ashley and Danielle, his sisters, and his parents Danny and Cheryl. But trouble was never far away, and Finlay soon began complaining that the zookeeper was "manipulative and controlling," per Texas Monthly. 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