Don Lewis
Millionaire exotic animal owner Don Lewis vanished in Tampa, Florida on August 18, 1997 and was declared legally dead in 2002. The Netflix series 'Tiger King' revived interest in the case and aired accusations against his wife Carole Baskin, who denies any involvement and has never been charged. The case remains unsolved.
- Status
- Unsolved
- Type
- Missing Person
- Date
- August 18, 1997
- Location
- Tampa, Florida
- Age
- 59
- Gender
- Male
- Decade
- 1990s
- OpenUnsolved
- Partly resolved
- Charges or trial
- Closed
No one has been charged and the case remains open.
Case background and investigation
On August 18, 1997, Jack Donald 'Don' Lewis, a 59-year-old millionaire who owned numerous exotic animals in Tampa, Florida, vanished. His van was later found at a small airport, but there was no evidence he boarded a plane.
Lewis's wife Carole (now Carole Baskin) inherited his estate after he was declared legally dead in 2002. His family accused her of involvement in his disappearance and contested the will, which they claimed had been forged.
The case received renewed attention in 2020 with the Netflix series 'Tiger King,' in which Joe Exotic accused Baskin of murdering Lewis and feeding him to her big cats. Baskin has always denied any involvement.
In 2020, the case was officially reopened by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. Despite new leads and increased scrutiny, no charges have been filed and Don Lewis has never been found.
Timeline
-
August 18, 1997Don Lewis disappears from Tampa.
-
August 19, 2002Lewis declared legally dead.
-
March 20, 2020Case receives renewed attention from Tiger King.
Sources
References used for this entry. ColdCaseIndex is an index of public information. To report an error, email info@coldcaseindex.com.
Have information about this case?
Cold cases are solved when someone comes forward. Even a detail that seems minor can matter. Contact law enforcement through one of these channels:
- FBI Tips (tips.fbi.gov): submit a tip online to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
- FBI tip line: 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324)
- NamUs: the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System
- The police force or sheriff's office responsible for Tampa
Tips can usually be given anonymously. ColdCaseIndex does not collect tips. To report an error on this page, email info@coldcaseindex.com.
Entry last updated September 29, 2026.
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