Alaskan Bush People star Matt Brown’s cause of death confirmed
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
Alaskan Bush People star Matt Brown’s cause of death has officially been confirmed by authorities.
The reality star was found dead in Washington on Saturday 30 May.
His devastated brother Bear confirmed that Matt’s body had been found following days of searching.
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"They found a body in the river a few hours ago, and it was positively identified as being Matt," Bear said in a video.
In a statement, Okanogan County Sheriff Office said the body was recovered by a ‘group of private citizens’ and then ‘positively identified as Matthew Brown’.
“Matthew Brown has been transferred into the custody and care of the Okanogan County Coroner. The cause and manner of death will be determined by the Coroner's Office,” the statement added.
Today, Okanogan County coroner's office has confirmed to Page Six that Matt ‘died by suicide caused by a single gunshot wound to the head’.
The publication said his ‘subsequent immersion in water’ and ‘being under the influence of methamphetamine’ were ‘contributing circumstances’ in the death.
In the wake of the tragedy, the Brown family shared a statement with US Weekly paying tribute to Matt.
“It is with profound sadness and broken hearts that we share the loss of our beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend, Matthew Brown,” the family said.
To millions of viewers, Matt was known as one of the original stars of Alaskan Bush People. To us, he was so much more.
“Matt was intelligent, curious, creative, and endlessly fascinated by the world around him. He was a gifted outdoorsman who felt most at home on the water, in the wilderness, or sharing what he had learned with others. He was an accomplished fisherman, an experienced boatman, and served as the radar operator on our family’s vessels. He loved adventure and never stopped exploring new ideas.”
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123 or contact Harmless by visiting their website https://harmless.org.uk.
Claire Reid