Joe Exotic Marries Fellow Inmate Jorge Marquez as He Serves Murder Plot Sentence Amid Cancer Battle: 'Meet My Husband'

Joe Exotic has found love in a hopeless place.

The Tiger King star, 62, announced on Monday, April 21, that he tied the knot with fellow inmate Jorge Marquez while serving his 21-year murder plot sentence and battling cancer from behind bars.

"Never been more proud of someone. Meet my husband Jorge Flores Maldonado," the exotic animal expert, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, captioned a photo of himself with Marquez on their wedding day in a post shared to X (formerly named Twitter).

Maldonado-Passage’s marriage comes nearly six months after announcing in October 2024 that he and Marquez were engaged and planning to say "I do."

"Meet Jorge Marquez he is 33. He is so amazing and is from Mexico," the media personality penned via X at the time, revealing the couple’s almost 30-year age gap.

The former zookeeper continued: "Now, the quest of getting married in prison and getting him asylum or we [will] be leaving America when we both get out. Either way, I wish I would have met him long ago."

Maldonado-Passage remains optimistic he'll be released from behind bars despite serving a 21-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2019 of a murder-for-hire plot against fellow Tiger King star, rival and animal rights activist Carole Baskin.

His original release date was scheduled for March 2036, though Maldonado-Passage’s sentence was slightly reduced in January 2022 from the initial 22-year sentence he was granted.

The former Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park operator has pleaded to be released later this year and even called upon President Donald Trump for a pardon, though his requests have not been fulfilled or answered at this time.

Earlier this month, Maldonado-Passage shared a post to Instagram opening up about how his now-husband has supported the Netflix star through his prostate cancer battle while tagging the POTUS and begging for a pardon.

"He has gotten me through so much fighting cancer under these conditions," Maldonado-Passage wrote of Marquez. "All I pray to God for is Trump [to] allow me to enjoy a little life outside with him before it's too late. I love you Jorge you are my life. @realdonaldtrump."

Maldonado-Passage was previously married to Travis Maldonado from 2015 until the latter’s death in 2017, when he accidentally shot himself and died.

Just two months later, the reality star went on to marry Dillon Passage, though they split in 2021.

Throughout his time in jail, Maldonado-Passage has publicly called upon several celebrities — including Kim Kardashian and Machine Gun Kelly — to help him get out, though his efforts have been unsuccessful thus far.