Bear Brown says he's got a stalker on his hands after his brother Matt's tragic suicide ... to the point that he needs protection.
The "Alaskan Bush People" star was granted a temporary civil protection order against a man who was allegedly part of the private search and rescue group that found Matt's body, according to Us Weekly.
Bear alleges the man "vaguely claims to have been a very close friend of my brother" but insists he doesn't know him beyond his help in the search.
Matt Brown's autopsy is shedding a little light on his tragic death. According to the Okanogan County Coroner, the "Alaskan Bush People" star was high on meth when he took his own life, TMZ has learned.
The coroner's office tells us Matt died by suicide, and the official cause of death is a "single penetrating gunshot wound to the head."
The autopsy also says he was under the influence of methamphetamine ... stating "subsequent immersion in water (river)" contributed to his death. The coroner's office plans to release Matt's body to his family for final arrangements.
Matt Brown's death has left his family wrestling with a painful and complicated reality ... some relatives are devastated, while others are feeling a sense of relief.
Family sources tell TMZ ... the reaction within the Brown family has been a mixed bag ... with grief, shock and relief all colliding after the late "Alaskan Bush People" star was found dead in a river.
We're told Matt's long battle with addiction created ongoing anxiety for those closest to him. Relatives often worried about when he might reappear, what condition he would be in, and what kind of situation might follow.
"Alaskan Bush People" star Matt Brown's death is taking a toll on his brother, Bear Brown ... and he's letting his emotions out for all to see.
Bear shared a touching tribute to his late brother on social media after Matt's body was recovered from a river ... posting a picture of him and Matt standing side-by-side holding rifles and opening up about what Matt meant to him.
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Matt's brother remembers him as "intelligent, curious, creative, and endlessly fascinated by the world around him."
The mystery surrounding former “Alaskan Bush People” star Matt Brown is only growing more complicated ... because authorities say they've suspended their search for an unidentified male seen in Washington’s Okanogan River.
According to the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office ... deputies, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel, divers, sonar teams, boats, personal watercraft, and even a cadaver dog spent Friday searching an expanding section of the river near Oroville, WA.
Despite the extensive effort, officials say no trace of the male was found.
The sheriff’s office says river conditions worsened throughout the day after rainfall increased water levels and current speeds, creating dangerous conditions for search crews. Investigators now believe the active river flow increases the possibility the individual is no longer near the area where he was last seen.
Matt Brown'sbrother was seen talking with police near the Washington river where an unidentified man disappeared as authorities continue searching for answers in the mystery surrounding the former "Alaskan Bush People" star's whereabouts ... TMZ has learned.
Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Gabe Brown was seen at the river location Thursday speaking with authorities. We're told law enforcement first spoke with Gabe on Wednesday as part of its ongoing investigation.
We broke the story ... sources told us last week Gabe is the only family member who occasionally still communicates with Matt, though we're told their contact is rare.
A family member says they saw Matt Brown near the Washington river where an unidentified man later disappeared ... and the sighting happened just hours before police launched a search.
The former "Alaskan Bush People" star's relative tells TMZ ... they spotted Matt around 8 AM Wednesday near Driscoll Island Wildlife Area off Highway 97 in Oroville, Washington ... less than a mile from where a witness later reported seeing a man swept away in the Okanogan River.
According to the relative, the location is a campground and fishing hole Matt is known to frequent. The family member also tells us Matt owns a firearm.
Matt Brownof"Alaskan Bush People" fame is feared dead by his family -- as police where he lives in Washington state are searching for an unidentified male.
Matt's brother, Bear Brown, posted a TikTok video on Thursday, expressing fears that Matt may have taken his life.
In his TikTok video, Bear said witnesses said Matt was seen around a river and, at some point, was floating in the water. He said that he could not confirm the information, but all the signs point to it possibly being him.
