Authorities announced that they have suspended the search for the remains of a man in a Washington river who is believed to be Alaskan Bush People star Matt Brown.
The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) said in a press release on Saturday, May 30, that they have suspended search efforts to find the remains of the man who was “reported deceased in the Okanogan River.”
The OCSO said efforts to locate the man’s body continued through Friday, May 29, with deputies and a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) agent using boats, personal watercraft, sonar and divers to search “an expanding area” near where the man was last seen.
A canine from Spokane, trained in the detection of human remains, was also deployed to the scene. Additionally, authorities used equipment to “drag the river bottom” as part of the search.
“The male has not been located; no signs of the male have been located,” the OCSO stated in the release.
Authorities said river conditions “deteriorated” throughout the day, in part due to rainfall from the previous night, which increased the river level and current speed, hampering search efforts.
“The active river flow increases the likelihood that the male has not remained near the location last seen,” the OCSO said.
The sheriff’s office said the search has been suspended due to the “dangerous” river conditions and in order for sheriffs to obtain more information “to focus search efforts.”
The OCSO said the identity of the male “is not confirmed” and will not be released until his family has been notified.
The sheriff’s office told TMZ that it began investigating after a 911 caller reported seeing a man sitting in shallow water along a river before he was allegedly swept away by a current. Authorities told the outlet that search efforts are expected to resume when weather conditions improve.
The update from the sheriff’s office comes after Matt’s brother, Bear Brown, shared a video on TikTok saying that he was told “late last night that Matt took his own life,” and “witnesses say that he was seen in a river, at a river or close to a river.”
According to Bear, witnesses then contacted authorities. “So far, they haven’t been able to find any body,” Bear said, adding that authorities were continuing their search efforts. “I can’t confirm it 100%, but it looks like it is.”
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Earlier this month, Matt drew attention for a livestream that prompted concern among viewers. In the video, posted on May 10, he revealed that he had spent a night sleeping in a cemetery because he couldn’t find another place he felt was safe.
Matt has previously spoken publicly about his struggles with alcohol addiction. In 2019, he stepped away from Alaskan Bush People and entered treatment.
Matt is the eldest son of the late Billy and Ami Brown. He appeared on the Discovery Channel reality series during its early seasons. Alaskan Bush People premiered in 2014 and last aired in 2022.
