Body Language Expert Makes Bold Claim About Carole Baskin

Netflix's Tiger King is a whirlwind rollercoaster of a ride, and some of the most shocking twists center around Carole Baskin and her missing ex-husband, Don Lewis. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Lewis disappeared in 1997 and was declared legally dead five years later; his body was never found. Baskin's arch-nemesis Joe Exotic is convinced that Baskin did the deed herself. He even made an entire music video about Baskin feeding her husband to her tigers at Big Cat Rescue.

Lewis' disappearance is examined in detail in episode three of Tiger King, which makes it clear that Joe Exotic definitely isn't the only person who thinks Baskin is guilty. Other people also stepped forward to express their suspicion, including Lewis' lawyer, secretary, ex-wife, and daughters. Meanwhile, Baskin calmly answered all of the Tiger King producers' questions about the case, always insisting upon her innocence. "Without a body, there is nothing I can do to clear my name," she pointed out in the docu-series. 

Even today, the mystery is still continuing to unravel. In April 2020, a body language expert shared some insight about Baskin's Tiger King interviews, and whew, this is a lot to take in. Let's take a look!

Even though Carole Baskin seems eerily calm while discussing her ex-husband in Tiger King, body language expert Bruce Durham shared that Baskin's gestures reveal that she might be hiding something.

In a video posted to his YouTube channel on March 30, 2020, Durham noted that, when Baskin was asked about whether or not she had threatened her husband, Don Lewis, prior to his disappearance, she compressed her lips. Durham went on to explain that when someone presses their lips together, it's a sign that there might be something going on in their head that they're not revealing. 

Durham also noticed something interesting when Baskin was asked why she never had a memorial for Lewis. The body language expert noted that "there's no looking down," which is typical when someone is searching for memories or feeling emotional. However, he believes that since she was looking "straight ahead at the interviewer," Baskin might have, instead, been trying to make something up rather than draw from existing memories. 

In Tiger King, Baskin recalls receiving the letter about Lewis being declared dead. She says she got the letter in the morning and the next thing she knew, it was nighttime. However, Durham — noting that she never delves into her emotions — questions what exactly was going through her head that day.

In his video, Durham explains that he can't say for sure whether Baskin had anything to do with Lewis' disappearance. He does, however, have some follow-up questions for her, as did many viewers!

Shortly after Tiger King shot to the number one spot on Netflix, Carole Baskin released a lengthy statement condemning the series. Baskin, who now runs Big Cat Rescue with her third husband, Howard Baskin, says she was told the series was intended to draw attention to the plight of captive big cats.

"There are not words for how disappointing it is to see that the series not only does not do any of that, but has had the sole goal of being as salacious and sensational as possible to draw viewers," Baskin wrote. "As part of that, it has a segment devoted to suggesting, with lies and innuendos from people who are not credible, that I had a role in the disappearance of my husband Don in 1997."

In her statement, Baskin refuted pretty much every allegation in Tiger King about her role in Don Lewis' disappearance, from the restraining order to the meat grinder to the claims that she was after Lewis' money — and she came with receipts, including several court documents. She called the idea that she was involved in his disappearance "idiotic."

The producers of Tiger King responded to Baskin's statement, explaining that she was aware of the content of the series and wasn't "coerced," via the Los Angeles Times.

Despite a police investigation, Don Lewis' body was never found. That means the case is still technically open after 23 years (via The New York Times). In fact, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister asked the public for new tips on the case on March 30, 2020.

"With everyone doing the right thing and staying at home, many of you have watched the Netflix documentary #TigerKing," Chronister wrote on Facebook. "One facet of the documentary is correct, the disappearance of Don Lewis is still an active cold case. So, with all the attention surrounding it, I figured it was time to use the popularity of the show to see if anyone wanted to come forward with new leads." 

 "Let's see if we can't solve this case together," Chronister wrote.

Thanks to the post, the sheriff is getting "about six tips a day," he told People. "So far, nothing viable. More theory-driven. But I'm going to be honest with you: I remain optimistic."

A new episode of Tiger King is reportedly on the way, and showrunner Rebecca Chaiklin previously told Entertainment Weekly there's "a lot that's still unfolding" with the story. Clearly, that's true! That being said, Baskin definitely won't be participating in any more filming for the series, according to a statement from her spokesperson to The Wrap. Sorry, all you cool cats and kittens!