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UPDATE: According to documents obtained by Page Six, the Okanogan County Coroner in Washington has ruled that Matt Brown’s manner of death was a suicide “caused by a single penetrating gunshot wound to the head.”
The medical examiner’s report added that contributing circumstances were subsequent immersion in water and the fact that Matt was under the influence of methamphetamine.
Read on for initial coverage of this heartbreaking situation:
The tragic search for Matt Brown has come to a heartbreaking end.
Just days after family members publicly expressed fears that the former Alaskan Bush People star had died, authorities and search crews reportedly located his body in a Washington river.
He was 43 years old.
According to TMZ, Brown’s body was discovered Saturday in the Okanogan River after an extensive search effort that had stretched on for several days.
The discovery reportedly came after private search volunteers continued looking even after official search operations had been suspended because of dangerous river conditions.
Brown’s brother, Bear Brown, confirmed the news in an emotional social media video.
“They found a body in the river a few hours ago, and it was positively identified as Matt,” Bear said, adding that their younger brother Noah was present and helped identify and recover the body.
At this time, an official cause of death has not been released, and authorities are awaiting further examination by the coroner.
The discovery follows a week of growing concern about Brown’s well-being.
Earlier reports indicated that family members had become alarmed after losing contact with him. Witnesses reportedly told authorities they had seen a man in the river near Oroville, Washington, before he was swept away by the current.
A firearm was also reportedly recovered near the scene.
Search crews spent days combing the area using boats, sonar equipment, divers, personal watercraft, and cadaver dogs.
But worsening weather and rising water levels eventually forced officials to suspend active search efforts.
Brown had struggled publicly with addiction for years and had become increasingly isolated from much of his family.
He entered rehab in 2016 and later spoke openly about his battle with substance abuse. Family members previously told media outlets that they had become deeply concerned about his behavior in recent years.
As the eldest member of the Brown family, Matt appeared in nearly 80 episodes of Alaskan Bush People between 2014 and 2019, becoming one of the most recognizable faces on the Discovery Channel series.
Now, fans and loved ones are left mourning a reality star whose life was often marked by both adventure and struggle.
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or having thoughts of suicide, help is available. Call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.