Matthew "Matt" Brown, eldest son of the Alaskan Bush People family, was found deceased in the Okanogan River near Oroville, Washington. His body was recovered by a private search team and identified by his brother. The official cause and manner of death remain pending.
Discovery and Recovery
The Okanogan County Sheriff's Office responded to a 911 call on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. The caller reported speaking to a man sitting in shallow water south of Oroville. After turning away, the caller heard a sound and subsequently saw the man face down in the water, drifting away. A firearm was recovered from the water near that location. Due to severe weather, search efforts were temporarily suspended.
On Saturday, February 22, 2025, a private search team located a body in the Okanogan River. The body was recovered and identified as Matthew Brown by the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office. Noah Brown, the deceased's brother, stated he was present during the recovery and assisted in the identification.
Official Statements
The Okanogan County Sheriff's Office stated that the cause and manner of death are under investigation and pending determination by the coroner's office. The sheriff's office expressed its condolences to the Brown family.
Family Statements
Bear Brown stated in a TikTok video that the family believes Matt Brown died by suicide, based on witness reports. In a separate Instagram video, Bear Brown stated the injury appeared self-inflicted, pending coroner confirmation. He expressed surprise, noting he was aware of his brother's struggles but had not anticipated this outcome. Bear Brown also stated that recent social media posts attributed to Matt are not authentic.
Noah Brown stated on Instagram that he was present when the body was recovered and identified it as his brother.
"We believe Matt died by suicide, based on witness reports," Bear Brown said.
Joshua "Bam Bam" Brown posted a statement on Instagram eulogizing Matt Brown, acknowledging his intellectual pursuits, struggles with addiction and mental health, and noting past family controversies, including a 2020 accusation that was not prosecuted.
Background
Matthew Brown was the eldest child of Billy and Ami Brown. He appeared on the Discovery Channel docudrama series Alaskan Bush People from its premiere in 2014 until his departure in 2019, appearing in 79 episodes across the first eight seasons. The series documented the Brown family's off-grid lifestyle and aired for 14 seasons, concluding in 2022.
Bear Brown stated that Matt Brown had a history of substance abuse, had been estranged from the family, had recently experienced a breakup, and had relapsed. Bear Brown described a recent conversation in which his brother stated he had "fallen off the wagon."
Billy Brown, the family patriarch, died in 2021 at age 68 from a seizure.