A well-respected far north Queensland tourism operator who died last month in a car crash has been unveiled as an American drug fugitive who faked his own death more than 40 years ago.

Crocodile cruise operator Dennis "Lee" Lafferty was mourned by the Daintree community after dying in a car accident in May.

A saltwater crocodile has been blamed for the woman's disappearance. Credit:Tourism and Events Queensland

US newspaper The Tampa Bay Times now says his real name was Raymond Grady Stansel Jr, an alleged drug smuggler who supposedly died in a scuba diving accident in 1974.

The article says Stansel was indicted that year for smuggling more than 12 tonnes of cannabis into Florida.