Matt Brown 'Nude' YouTube Livestream Moments Preceded Tragic Death of 'Alaskan Bush People' Star Found in Washington River

Days before his body was recovered from the Okanogan River, Alaskan Bush People star Matt Brown had livestreamed himself apparently nude and wandering through a public park in Washington state, a broadcast that viewers described as deeply concerning in the hours before his disappearance.

Brown, 43, the eldest son of the late patriarch Billy Brown, was confirmed dead on 30 May 2026 after a private search party located his body in the Okanogan River near Oroville, Washington. His brother Noah helped pull the body from the water, and Bear Brown confirmed the news via TikTok. The Okanogan County Coroner's Office has since taken custody of the remains to determine the cause and manner of death.

The Livestream That Alarmed Fans and Family

On 19 May 2026, roughly a week before his death, Brown broadcast a YouTube livestream in which he appeared in a state of undress while wandering through a public park in Washington state. Viewers reported he appeared to be intoxicated, though no clinical confirmation has been made. The stream drew further concern when Brown appeared to be carrying what looked like a firearm.

TMZ, which first reported on the video, noted that a backpack belonging to Brown was later recovered near the river with an empty holster inside. Dispatch audio obtained by the outlet described responding personnel being told a suicidal man had reportedly shot himself before entering the river. A revolver was believed to be in the water.

According to family sources who spoke to TMZ, the family had cut off all communication with Brown approximately five years earlier due to his increasingly erratic behaviour. The outlet reported that the late patriarch Billy Brown had ultimately decided the family could no longer support Matt because of his ongoing struggles, and that Ami Brown had initially resisted the estrangement before being persuaded to distance herself by Matt's siblings.

A Death Confirmed After Days of Desperate Searching

The sequence of events began on 27 May 2026, when a 911 caller reported seeing a man sitting in the shallow waters of the Okanogan River south of Oroville. The caller looked away briefly, then turned back to find the man face down in the water, being swept downstream. Authorities launched an immediate multi-agency search, deploying boats, personal watercraft, sonar, divers, and a cadaver dog.

On 30 May, the Sheriff's Office suspended the search due to dangerous river conditions, stating that 'the active river flow increases the likelihood that the male has not remained near the location last seen.' Within hours, a group of private citizens located a body in the river, subsequently confirmed as Matt Brown.

Thirteen Years of Struggle Behind the Camera

Brown appeared on 'Alaskan Bush People' from 2014 until 2019, when he stepped away from the programme amid substance abuse struggles. He had spoken publicly about his addiction as far back as 2016, when he entered treatment for alcoholism following a DUI arrest. 'I could see myself spiralling,' he told People magazine that year. 'I started drinking lightly and then it got to be more and more.' He completed a 35-day treatment programme but later relapsed, returning to rehab at the Betty Ford Center in 2018.

After leaving the show, Brown relocated to rural northeastern Washington, living largely out of the public eye while maintaining a YouTube channel documenting his daily life, the same channel through which the 19 May livestream reached his remaining audience.

Bear Brown's Emotional Public Statement

Bear Brown, 38, first broke the news of his brother's suspected death in a TikTok video posted on 29 May 2026. 'I'm being told that late last night that Matt took his own life,' he said in the video. 'I can't confirm that that's true, but witnesses say that he was seen in a river, at a river, or close to a river.'

When the body was confirmed to be Matt's, Bear returned to TikTok. 'They found a body in the river a few hours ago, and it was positively identified as being Matt,' he told his followers. Bear said the injury appeared to be 'self-inflicted,' adding: 'I would have never suspected he would have hurt himself, honestly. He struggled for a long time, as I've mentioned, and I worried he was going to end up, like, OD'd or something like that. I didn't think he would hurt himself.'

Matt Brown is survived by his mother Ami Brown and his siblings Bear, Noah, Gabe, Josh 'Bam Bam' Brown, Birdy, and Rain. His father Billy Brown died in February 2021 after suffering a seizure, aged 68. The Okanogan County Coroner's Office will issue its formal findings in due course.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by texting or dialling 988 in the United States. If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, call 911.

In the UK, Samaritans provides 24-hour confidential support on 116 123 for anyone struggling with thoughts of self-harm or emotional distress. The organisation is available round the clock, every single day of the year.