‘Deadliest Catch’ crew member Justin Tennison found dead in hotel

By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 02/23/2011

Deadliest Catch fishing boat crew member Justin Tennison was found dead on Tuesday in Homer, AK.

Tennison’s body was found in a room at the Best Western Bidarla Inn around 1PM, the Anchorage Daily News reported Wednesday.

According to authorities, the 33-year-old — who served as a deckhand on Deadliest Catch’s Time Bandit fishing vessel during the Alaskan King crab and Opilio crab seasons which will be featured on the Discovery Channel reality show’s upcoming season later this year — died of unknown causes and an autopsy was scheduled to be performed on Wednesday in Anchorage, AK.

Tennison was reportedly discovered alone in the hotel room, which also contained alcohol and approximately a quarter-ounce of what police believe to be marijuana.

“There was information that there had been a party at an adjacent room,” Lieutenant Randy Rosencrans said.

“Discovery Channel is saddened by the passing of Time Bandit crew member Justin Tennison. We send our sympathies to his entire family and fellow crew members during this most difficult time,” the network said in a statement obtained by the Daily News.

The Time Bandit also released a statement about Tennison on its website.

“Justin fished commercially for many years, living in Alaska for 28 years. He worked on the Time Bandit, alongside his second cousin, Eddie Uwekoolani, Jr., serving as Engineer during the tendering seasons, and joined the Time Bandit crew in 2010 as a deckhand fishing the Red King 2010 and Opilio 2011 seasons,” it states.

“Justin was tough as a bull and was an all-around good hand.  The Captains and Crew appreciated his hard work and many contributions this past year. 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.”

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