Joel Taylor cause of death: Storm Chasers star not victim of violent crime, says FBI
Initial reports claimed Taylor had died from an overdose of party drug GHB.
The death of television personality Joel Taylor is no longer the focus of an FBI investigation, it has emerged.
The Oklahoma native, who was best known for starring in Discovery Channel show Storm Chasers, died on Tuesday (23 January), at the age of 38.
Initial reports suggested that he lost his life after overdosing on rave drug GHB while partying on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship.
Witnesses claim that Taylor had to be carried to his room after collapsing on the dance floor and was pronounced dead the following morning when the cruise liner docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Days earlier several passengers had been arrested and taken off Harmony of the Seas before it set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The ship was reportedly awash with class A drugs, including ecstasy, cocaine and GHB.
According to TMZ, the FBI conducted a preliminary investigation into Talor's sudden death and suppliers of the illegal narcotics on the boat.
Carlos Osorio, a spokesman for the FBI's San Juan Division confirmed that after concluding that his death was not the result of a violent crime, the case had now been referred to local authorities.
No arrests have been made yet and San Juan police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding his untimely passing.
However, if Taylor's death is at all linked to murder, it could be passed back to the FBI and the probe will be reopened.
Tributes
In his final Facebook post shared on 15 January, Taylor gave no indication of any health problems and seemed to be in good spirits. He told his followers: "My first niece arrived this morning!"
Fans and friends of the star have flooded social media with tributes since news broke of his death. His co-star Reed Timmer said he was "shocked and absolutely devastated by the loss of my incredible, caring friend".
He added: "We chased so many intense storms, and I wish we could have just one more storm chase. I'll miss you forever, Joel. We lost a legend."
Another fan wrote: "An entire generation of meteorologists and storm chasers grew up on and were inspired by the actions of Joel Taylor. May his spirit carry on in them and may he rest in peace."
