Former ‘Deadliest Catch’ Star Passes Away at 38

Tom Ozimek
5/30/2018
Updated:
9/27/2018

Blake Painter, a former star on Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch,” is dead.

Police say that Painter’s body was found in his home on Friday, May 25, in Oregon, according to a Us Weekly report.

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.

Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin told Deadline that there were no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.

“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.

“He had some issues and hopefully we’ll be able to find out more in the weeks to come,” Bergin added, according to The Daily Astorian.

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.

Crab boat captain Sig Hansen pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge following accusations that he spat on an Uber driver in 2017, Fox reported.
Former show star Jake Harris was arrested for car theft and drug possession, including prescription meds and crystal meth, Fox reported.
In 2015, ship captain Tony Lara died at age 50 from a heart attack during a motorcycle rally in South Dakota, according to reports.
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Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
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