Johnson – a former reptile dealer – was among those interviewed in episode 4 of the hugely popular 2020 docuseries on Netflix.
According to the police report of the incident, officers were dispatched to the Johnson family home shortly after 10 p.m. on September 8 to attempt suicide.
Johnson’s wife, Charity, told police her husband committed suicide right in front of her during an argument in their garage. Their 4- and 5-year-olds were in the home at the time, the report said.
Johnson still had a pulse at the scene and was taken to hospital but was later pronounced dead, according to reports.
An attorney for Joseph Maldonado, the show’s central character known as Joe Exotic, confirmed that he spoke with Johnson’s widow about the incident.
According to the report, Johnson “has no history of mental health.”
