Blake Painter, a former star on Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch,” is dead.
The publication cited a law enforcement source as saying that a concerned friend contacted the authorities after not having heard from Painter for several days.
“He was located on Friday but probably passed away a day or two ahead of that,” Bergin said. “Friends contacted the Sheriff’s office, and we went in and discovered his body. There was no evidence of foul play.”
No cause of death has been revealed, pending the results of an autopsy.
Prior to his death, Painter had two pending cases involving drug-related charges, the paper reported. He was arrested in January for possession of heroin, tampering with evidence, driving while under the influence, and reckless driving. An Astoria police officer reportedly spotted Painter smoking heroin while driving and when he pulled him over, Painter allegedly tried to dispose of the evidence.
Painter was a second-generation fisherman who worked on a number of fishing boats, including as a captain. He was featured in several seasons of the Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch,” a show that explores the real-life high-sea adventures of Alaskan crab fisherman. During the show, Painter became skipper of the F/V Maverick.
“It’s a crab boat. It’s not a democracy. There’s one guy in charge and now I’m that guy,” he said at one point during the show, according to the “Deadliest Catch” fan site.
Friends and acquaintances have taken to social media to express condolences.
“My sincerest condolences to Capt. Blake’s family, friends, crew, and all who loved him,” Keith Colburn, captain of the F/V Wizard, wrote on Twitter. “Fair winds and following seas, Captain. Rest easy; we have the watch.”
On the air since 2005, “Deadliest Catch” has sparked headlines before.
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