Overview
- Bear Brown announced late Saturday that a body pulled from the Okanogan River was positively identified by family members as his brother Matt Brown.
- Okanogan County officials said a 911 caller reported a man in shallow river water on May 27 and search teams later recovered a firearm near the area where the man was last seen.
- Search efforts were slowed and temporarily suspended because hazardous river conditions hampered responders before the body was located.
- Bear and other family members said Matt had long struggled with alcohol and drug problems and had posted a disturbing livestream in the days before he went missing.
- Authorities are treating the recovery as an active investigation with an autopsy and coroner review pending, and the family has asked for privacy as they process the loss.