The body of Matt Brown, a cast member of the Discovery Channel docuseries Alaskan Bush People, was recovered from the Okanogan River in Washington state. The coroner has ruled his death a suicide resulting from a single gunshot wound.
Discovery and Recovery of the Body
Multiple reports detail the timeline of the discovery of Matt Brown's body. According to the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office, a 911 call was received on Wednesday, February 19, regarding a man sitting in shallow water south of Oroville, Washington.
The caller reported that after turning away, they heard a sound and then saw the man face down in the water and drifting away. A firearm was recovered from the water near that location.
Heavy weather conditions led to the suspension of initial search efforts. The body was later recovered on a subsequent date by a group of private citizens conducting a search. Matt Brown's brother, Noah Brown, was present with the search team and aided in the recovery and identification of the body. The Okanogan County Sheriff's Office has identified the body as Matthew Brown.
Cause of Death
The official cause and manner of death were determined by the coroner's office. The autopsy concluded that Matt Brown died from a single penetrating gunshot wound to the head. The death was ruled a suicide.
The autopsy also detected the presence of methamphetamine in his system and noted that subsequent immersion in the river contributed to his death.
Statements from Family
Matt Brown's brother, Bear Brown, announced the death in a social media video. Bear stated that the injury appeared to be self-inflicted, pending coroner confirmation, and expressed surprise, noting that while he had been concerned about a possible drug overdose, he did not anticipate self-harm.
In a separate statement, Bear described his brother as intelligent, curious, and compassionate, while acknowledging his struggles with addiction. Another brother, Joshua "Bam Bam" Brown, publicly acknowledged Matt's struggles with addiction and mental health.
Background
Matt Brown was the eldest child of Ami and the late Billy Brown. He appeared on the Discovery Channel series Alaskan Bush People from 2014 to 2019, featuring in 79 episodes. The series, which documented the Brown family's off-the-grid lifestyle, aired for 14 seasons before concluding in 2022.
Matt Brown publicly discussed his struggles with alcohol and substance abuse and had been estranged from his family in recent years. He left the show in 2019 due to addiction issues. The family patriarch, Billy Brown, died in 2021 at age 68 from a seizure.