The Tragedy Of Deadliest Catch Only Gets Sadder

Since it first aired in 2005, "Deadliest Catch" has been a huge ratings winner for the Discovery Channel. 2020's Season 16 reeled in an average of 2.2 million viewers, increasing 7% over the previous year (as per Pop Culture). The series has proved so popular that it even spawned two spin-offs, "Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove" and "Deadliest Catch: Bloodline."

"Deadliest Catch" documents the day-to-day trials and tribulations of working in the Alaskan commercial fishing industry. Life at sea is truly tumultuous and challenging, and it attracts a variety of larger-than-life characters. The vessels' crew members constantly face new adversities and perils — with literal life or death situations as common as the violent storms they're forced to battle while hauling in their crab catches. Given the danger, grueling workload, and unbelievably harsh conditions that go hand-in-hand with life as a commercial fisherman, it's little surprise there's plenty of drama and suspense for the cameras to capture.

However, sadly, risky substance use, alcoholism, and addiction are rife within the industry, resulting in many tragedies and fatalities. From premature deaths to overdoses to disappearances to murder, the show's cast has suffered way more than their fair share of heartbreak and hardship. The tragedy of "Deadliest Catch" only gets sadder and sadder over the years, but somehow the crew members keep on going — sometimes, against all odds. Batten down the hatches folks, we're casting the pots and taking a deep dive into life on the Bering Sea's turbulent and tumultuous torrents.

Just 11 months after suffering the heartbreaking loss of his sister, Jake Anderson was forced to face more tragedy. In January 2010, Anderson's father, Keith, disappeared without a trace. According to Komo News, the 63-year-old was a devoted husband who'd never spent a night apart from his wife of 43 years. So, his sudden disappearance immediately gave cause for concern.

Concerns increased after Keith's abandoned and bloody pickup was found "stuck on a logging road in a remote area of Skagit County" in Washington State a couple weeks later (per Komo News). Anderson was at sea when he learned authorities had discovered his dad's vehicle. And, once again, the "Deadliest Catch" cameras were rolling to capture all the drama as it unfolded.

After two-and-a-half years passed with no sightings or new leads, the police investigation into Keith's disappearance and suspected murder went cold. Then in 2012, a hiker stumbled upon Keith's remains close to where his truck had been dumped. As per Entertainment Weekly, news of the discovery broke just days before a moving episode of "Deadliest Catch" aired, during which Anderson revisited the spot where his dad's pickup had been found abandoned. "When I got to this point and saw that this was where the truck was found, blood splatter on the key fob and on the windshield, that's when I thought someone killed my dad," Anderson says (via Entertainment Weekly) after arriving at the site. "And that was the last time I cried."

Jake Harris seriously struggled following his father's death, turning to drugs and alcohol to numb his pain. In May 2010, Harris was arrested for DUI and hit and run in Seattle. He was thrown into jail before being released on $20,000 bail, according to The Boston Herald. Harris "failed a field sobriety test and refused to take a toxicological test," a police spokesman said. "After further investigation, it was found that he was involved in a hit and run with another occupied vehicle earlier in the evening."

Per Oxygen, in January 2019, Harris was arrested again after an altercation in Bayview State Park, Washington, sparked a police chase. When cops finally pulled over his motorhome, they "noticed that Harris was 'argumentative,' had 'bloodshot' eyes, 'pinpoint pupils,' and was speaking 'very rapidly.'" He was sentenced to 18 months in jail in August 2019 after pleading guilty to DUI and "possession with intent to manufacture or deliver [heroin]" (via TMZ).

Also per TMZ, Harris was arrested for DUI yet again in May 2021. He was "booked into county jail for felony DUI, misdemeanor driving on a license revoked and misdemeanor failure to have an ignition interlock installed." He was released days later on $50,000 bail. "My brother's been going through issues," Josh Harris told HuffPost. "He's lost in drugs still. Jake's gotta take care of his own stuff right now. Deal with his demons."

Joe McMahon worked as an associate producer on "Deadliest Catch" for nine months in 2013. The 24-year-old was tragically killed in the early hours of July 24, 2015. As per ABC7 News, McMahon was shot dead "just one driveway" from his family home in Pasadena, California. The murder occurred within minutes of McMahon leaving the house. Cops had been called to the area a little after 2 am after neighbors reported hearing a series of gunshots. Deputies "found McMahon on the street suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene," ABC7 reported. 

"We are heartsick about this tragedy," Discovery said in a statement (via People). "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to all that knew and worked with him."

Investigators told ABC7 they had no reason to believe the murder was linked to drugs — or that McMahon was affiliated or associated with any gangs. According to NBC4, later the same day, the shooting suspect, 24-year-old Brandon Rafiepour, was discovered dead in West L.A. — he had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators revealed that "the two men knew each other" but did not disclose any motive for the murder-suicide. However, cops told KTTV (via Muck Rack) that they believed McMahon had been killed because "he had apparently bullied Brandon Rafiepour when the two were in high school" together.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

Jake Harris is a prime example of why the tragedy of "Deadliest Catch" only gets sadder. Harris suffered the premature loss of his father, Phil, and he battled alcohol and addiction issues. He also had never-ending brushes with the law — ending with a stint behind bars. However, the worst of all occurred in November 2016 when Harris was robbed, beaten, and "left for dead" on the side of a road.

Harris was admitted to the ICU following a violent altercation in Everett, Washington. According to ET, the City of Everett PD released a statement following the attack. They said Harris had been "getting a ride home from a man and his girlfriend when the man allegedly started assaulting" him. The man beat Harris so severely that he lost consciousness. When Harris came around, he was lying on the side of the road, minus his wallet and $2,400 in cash.

"Some individuals beat him to the point where it cracked his skull from his forehead all the way back to where you would be balding as an individual," Jake's brother Josh Harris shared in a Facebook video. "They literally beat my brother and left him for dead, threw him out of a moving vehicle onto the side of the freeway." Amanda Ritter and Jorel Fultz were later arrested and placed in custody. As per TMZ, "the couple faces 1st-degree felony robbery charges — plus an extra assault charge for Fultz."

Blake Painter was discovered dead at his home in Astoria, Oregon, on May 25, 2018. Per the Associated Press (via The Seattle Times), the former F/V Maverick captain — who appeared on Seasons 2 and 3 of "Deadliest Catch" — was 38 years old.

A worried friend made the gruesome discovery. He'd gone to Painter's house after becoming worried that he couldn't get in contact with him. According to the Clatsop County Sheriff's Office incident report (via TMZ), the friend called the police after peering through the living room window and spotting Painter lying lifeless on the floor. Upon entering the house, the officer who was first at the scene reported smelling "the odor of decaying flesh." He saw that Painter was "lying on his side" and that "his face, back, and stomach were blue."

The official cause of death or details from the toxicology report were never publicly released. But, the incident report revealed that a bottle of Tramadol — a prescription pain medication, "along with another bottle with an assortment of pills" — was found on the living room couch. In addition, cops also discovered various drug paraphernalia and substances thought to be heroin and meth. The friend told officers that Painter had taken his kids swimming just days before his death, and that he'd been "happy and sober" the last time he'd spoken with him.

Just when you thought things couldn't possibly get any sadder, the "Deadliest Catch" was hit by yet more tragedy in 2020. Mahlon Reyes died on July 27 following a heart attack — he was 38 years old. Reyes' grieving widow detailed the events leading up to The Seabrooke deckhand's death on the Facebook tribute page, "Forever Chim."

Heather Sullivan shared that the father-of-four was unresponsive when paramedics arrived, but hospital staff managed to revive him 45 minutes later. Reyes had been starved of oxygen for too long, though, causing "irreversible brain damage," and his family made the heartbreaking decision to take him off of life-support. "Mahlon's body was tired and had put up an amazing fight. He was the strongest guy we knew," Sullivan wrote. "Shortly after midnight on July 27, he passed with his brother and mom right by his side. His oldest kids, some of his best friends, were all with him as well, although they couldn't be by his, they were there as well. He was surrounded by so much love."

The "Deadliest Catch" cast was devastated. Deck boss Nick McGlashan had been the closest to Reyes, however — and he appeared to take the news of his death the hardest. "This place misses you. RIP Mahlon," McGlashan tweeted on the day of Reyes' death. "Trauma be making me fall asleep randomly," he later tweeted, a week after sharing that his grandma had passed away, too. "It also wakes me up randomly. Navigate carefully," McGlashan added.

Some of the saddest "Deadliest Catch" tragedies have involved the vessels the series documents. The Bering Sea is notoriously dangerous, so it's little surprise multiple ships have met a tragic end there. "Over a million square miles of the world's most violent and unpredictable waters, and home of the Deadliest Catch, Alaskan crab," the voiceover says in a "Tragedy at Sea" video by Discovery. "In the past two decades, these waters have claimed more than 90 lives."

The F/V Destination took the lives of all six crew members when she sank near St. George Island in February 2017. The official report by the United States Coast Guard ruled that the sinking was preventable. The F/V Big Valley took five lives when she sank in 2005, about 70 miles off St. Paul Island. Cache Seel was the only crew member to survive. According to The Seattle Times, the 30-year-old "clung to the hull" "as the 92-foot crab boat slammed against the waves of the churning Bering Sea."

As documented in the KTOO documentary, "Tragedy and Courage on the Bering Sea," the F/V Galaxy met a fiery end in 2002 — after being battered by a huge wave about 30 miles off St. Paul Island. "The next thing I feel is this boat rock violently and this explosion took place, and now I've got people screaming 'man overboard,'" Captain Dave Shoemaker shared. Thankfully, most of the crew survived — but three tragically died.