Tiger King’s Joe Exotic Finds Love Again—This Time Behind Bars
It looks like Joe Exotic is adding another wild chapter to his already wild life story. The former Oklahoma zookeeper, best known from Netflix’s Tiger King series, is officially off the market again.
That’s right, Tiger King’s Joe Exotic gets married to fellow prison inmate while serving 21-year sentence for murder plot.
Joe — real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage — took to X (formerly Twitter) Monday to let the world know he had tied the knot with his new man Jorge Marquez. In the post, he dropped a photo of the two and proudly wrote:
“Never been more proud of someone. Meet my husband, Jorge Flores Maldonado.”
For those unfamiliar or need a refresher, Joe is currently serving a 21-year sentence after being convicted in 2019 for a murder-for-hire plot against his longtime rival, animal rights activist Carole Baskin. Originally sentenced to 22 years, his time was knocked down a notch in 2022.
This ain’t Joe’s first rodeo when it comes to love. He was previously married to Travis Maldonado from 2015 until 2017—tragically, Travis died after accidentally shooting himself.
Joe Exotic Credits His New Husband For Getting Him Through Prison + Cancer Battle
Even behind bars, Joe’s been vocal about his struggles, from isolation to serious health scares—including cancer. And through it all, he says Jorge has been his rock.
In another emotional post, Joe shared:
“He has gotten me through so much fighting cancer under these conditions. All I pray to God for is Trump woll allow me to enjoy a little life outside with him before it’s too late. I love you Jorge you are my life. @realdonaldtrump.”
It’s clear the 62-year-old reality star is hoping for a miracle—or maybe a presidential pardon from Trump—so he can spend some free time with his new husband.
What We Know About Jorge Marquez, Joe’s New Husband
While not much is public about Jorge Marquez, folks are already scrambling to dig up details. According to various reports, Jorge is also serving time, which is how the two met and eventually fell in love.
Their bond reportedly grew during some of Joe’s darkest moments. Between his legal battles, health issues, and isolation, Jorge offered comfort and companionship. Their connection was strong enough for Joe to make it official—even from behind bars.
Love behind bars ain’t easy, but it seems like Joe and Jorge are doing their best to hold each other down.