Less than a week after Matt Brown’s remains were found, the cause of the Alaska Bush People family member’s death has been released.
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TMZ reports that the Okanogan County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Brown was high on meth when he died by suicide with a “single penetrating gunshot wound to the head.”
The coroner revealed Brown was under the influence of methamphetamine, noting, “subsequent immersion in water [river]” contributed to his death. His body is set to be released to the Brown family for funeral arrangements.
As previously reported, the Okanogan County Coroner’s Office confirmed the identity of the deceased adult male recovered from the Okanogan River south of Oroville, Washington, was Brown. It was noted that the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office notified the coroner’s office on Wednesday of “an individual observed floating face down in the river.”
“Initial efforts to confirm and retrieve the individual were unsuccessful due to fast-moving river conditions,” the statement reads. “And search operations continued over the following days.”
The coroner’s office further noted it was notified on Saturday that a body “had been located downstream from the original site.”
“Working in coordination with the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office, the body was secured and subsequently positively identified as Matthew J. Brown, 43, of Oroville, Washington,” the coroner’s office continued. “Identification was confirmed by a family member present on scene.”
Matt’s brother, Noah, was on scene and confirmed the identity.
Matt’s Brothers Bear and Josh Released a Statement on Behalf of the Family
Just before the cause of death was announced, Matt’s brothers, Bear and Josh, released a statement. It was from the entire Brown family.
“It is with broken hearts that we share the loss of our beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend, Matthew Brown,” the statement reads. “To millions of viewers, Matt was known as one of the original stars of Alaskan Bush People. To us, he was so much more.”
They then shared, “Matt was intelligent, curious, creative, and endlessly fascinated by the world around him. He was a gifted outdoorsman, fisherman, boatman, artist, and lifelong learner. He loved adventure, nature, and discovering new things. Matt had an extraordinary mind.”
“Those who truly knew Matt knew his heart,” the statement continued. “He was compassionate, generous with his time, and deeply wanted to help others. During periods of sobriety and recovery, he openly shared his struggles with addiction and mental health through his videos and personal outreach. He encouraged others to seek help, offered hope to people fighting similar battles, and reminded them they were not alone. We are incredibly proud of the lives he touched.”
The family’s statement further noted that Matt had spent years battling serious mental health challenges and addiction. “Like countless families facing similar circumstances, we experienced periods of hope, recovery, setbacks, heartbreak, and reconciliation. Our Dad, Billy Brown, never stopped believing in Matt’s ability to heal and find peace, and neither did we.”
Billy passed away in 2021 at the age of 68.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.