In Memory of These Fallen ‘Deadliest Catch’ Stars — A Look Back at Who We’ve Lost
Known as one of the most dangerous professions in the world, Deadliest Catch is a heart pounding reality series that follows fishermen and their crews as they venture into open water trying to catch King Crabs. With turbulent waters, frigid temperatures, and high pressure situations, the stars of the series are constantly facing real-life dangers.
During its 20 Season run (so far) on the Discovery Channel, crew members have sadly been lost throughout since the show’s inception. In memory of a some of the late stars of the series after their untimely deaths, here’s a look back at our fallen crew from Deadliest Catch.
Phil Harris
Sadly in 2010, fans of the series said goodbye to Phil Harris. While off-loading crab, Phil suffered a massive stroke and his son immediately called 911.
“The whole left side of his face was in paralysis, and that was hard,” Phil’s son Josh told People magazine at the time. “He couldn’t move his arms or anything, he was just paralyzed on the floor.”
After being rushed to the hospital where he underwent surgery, he reportedly seemed to be improving. However, after nine days in the ER, Phil sadly passed surrounded by friends and family.
Dr. Keith Anderson
Fans watched as deckhand Jake Anderson work through the heartbreak of losing his father Dr. Keith Anderson. In 2010, Anderson went missing and his truck was found in a rural part of Washington State. In 2012, a hiker found the skeletal remains belonging to Jake’s dad.
Justin Tennison
In 2011, Justin Tennison was found dead at the age of 33 inside of his hotel room in Alaska, four days after returning from sea. According to People, his autopsy reports showed that he passed away due to complications with sleep apnea.
“It is with great sadness that the Time Bandit family announces the death of crew member Justin Tennison. Justin died peacefully in his sleep,” a statement was posted at the time of his death on the ship’s page. “We will miss him terribly and wish his family all the best during this most difficult time. Justin is survived by a son, daughter, sister, father and grandparents.”
Tony Lara
Former captain of the Cornelia Marie Tony Lara suffered a massive heart attack in his sleep in August 2015 at the age of 50. A spokesperson for Discovery told E! at the time: “We’ve lost a member of the Deadliest Catch family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this very sad time.”
Blake Painter
In 2018, Blake Painter was found dead in his Oregon home at the age of 38.
Blake appeared on the Deadliest Catch as captain of the F/V Maverick in 2006 until 2007. TMZ reported that a friend called police after not having heard from him in a few days. The police reportedly performed an autopsy and toxicology report to determine the official cause of death.
Mahlon Reyes
In August 2020, deckhand Mahlon Reyes died at the age of 38. His wife Heather told TMZ that Mahlon suffered a heart attack and died shortly after at the hospitlal. He was survived by his wife and four children.
Todd Kochutin
In 2021, 30-year-old Todd Kochutin passed away after sustaining injuries on the F/V Patricia Lee.
“He was a passionate . He devoted most of summers and winters to fishing for king crab, opilio, Pacific cod and pollock in the Bering Sea. The Bering Sea was very special place near and dear to his heart,” his obituary read.
Ross Jones
Ross Jones, a crew member of the F/V Saga, died in June 2022. His death was announced via the Facebook page Deadliest Catch World. A cause of death was not shared out of respect to the his families and friends.
Nick Mavar
In June 2024, Nick Mavar, a deckhand on the series who appeared in 98 episodes, died of natural causes at the age of 59.
He was found dead in a boat yard in Naknek, Ala. According to his Facebook page, Nick came from a family of Croatian fishermen and signed up for his first crab fishing season at 18 years old.
Watch new episodes of Deadliest Catch at 9 p.m. ET on Discovery Channel.
