Erik Cowie, the long-haired head zookeeper from the hit Netflix series “Tiger King,” was located dead inside a Brooklyn apartment simply 4 months after transferring to the borough, a police source as well as next-door neighbors said Tuesday.
No foul play was suspected in the death of the 53-year-old Cowie, although regional residents recalled some questionable behavior from the not likely TELEVISION star as soon as he landed in the borough. Postmortem examination outcomes were pending in last Friday’s sudden death.
“He walks extremely sluggish, in a daze,” said next-door neighbor Brian Thomas, 55, a former NYPD officer. “I have actually seen him blunder a couple of times, you recognize … He never hits the ground however you would certainly see him falling as well as capturing himself three or four times as he walked about.”
A female that shared the house with Cowie wandered the neighborhood while arbitrarily flashing her breasts, added Thomas.
Cowie had previously rejected rumors of a methamphetamine dependency, although he acknowledged some problems with alcohol. He was jailed on a DWI cost in Might after a two-car crash on an interstate highway.
It was unclear what led the long time Oklahoma citizen to clear up in Brooklyn.
Cowie, that wound up affirming at series star Joe Exotic’s test for eliminating tigers at the Greater Wynnewood Pet Park in Oklahoma, operated at the wild animal zoo for five years.
He first learnt more about the work opening in Exotic’s zoo through Craigslist as well as got instantaneous notoriety after the series debuted in March 2020, drawing even more than 34 million visitors in its very first 10 days, according to Nielsen scores.
Cowie, who made several remarkable appearances on the documentary series, was found regarding 5:30 p.m. Friday in the room of a home on E. 55th St. near Remsen Ave. in East Flatbush.
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“Fire trucks and authorities were outside,” remembered another neighbor. “And one of the lessees was sitting outside as well as she looked shaken up.”
In January 2020, “Tiger King” celebrity Joe Exotic was convicted of attempting to work with a person to murder an animal rights lobbyist in Florida– and of 17 wildlife fees.
Exotic, whose genuine name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was punished two months ago to 22 years in government jail.
During the test, Cowie testified that he “knew felines were obtaining shot” on the day in 2017 when, according to the feds, 5 tigers were eliminated by Joe Exotic. The tigers under Cowie’s watch consisted of Delilah, Samson, Trinity and also Cuddles.
The 2nd next-door neighbor had no concept the semi-celebrity was living in Brooklyn.
“Actually, was that him?” she asked. “I marvel, that’s crazy. I have actually most definitely never seen him.”