How did 'Alaskan Bush People' patriarch Billy Brown die? Discovery star once stole a horse to cross Mexico border
Billy Brown, the patriarch of the Brown family as seen on the Discovery Channel reality show ‘Alaskan Bush People’ suddenly passed away on Sunday night, February 7, at the age of 68, as per reports. According to Bear Brown, one of Billy's sons, he died after suffering a seizure.
"We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved patriarch Billy Brown passed away last night after suffering from a seizure," Bear reportedly wrote on his private Instagram account. "He was our best friend – a wonderful and loving dad, granddad, and husband and he will be dearly missed."
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"He lived his life on his terms, off the grid, and off the land, and taught us to live like that as well," wrote Bear further. "We plan to honor his legacy going forward and to continue with his dream. We ask for privacy and prayers during this painful time. God Bless Everyone!"
"We are devastated to hear of Billy Brown's sudden passing," a spokesperson for Discovery said in a statement. "He has been part of the Discovery family for years – a trailblazer, a lovely man, and most definitely one of a kind. Our heart is with his family and those that knew him and loved him as they deal with this devastating loss."
The reality-documentary series follows the Brown family, far removed from civilization – so much so that they often go six to nine months each year without seeing an outsider. The Browns live in the Copper River Valley, where temperatures can drop to 60 degrees below zero, and refer to themselves as a "wolf pack". And over the years, Billy (as well as other members of the family) have had run-ins with the law.
Horse-theft
In December 2015, Radar reported that Billy was arrested on April 15, 1980, for stealing a horse from a stable owner in El Paso, Texas. According to El Paso County District Court documents accessed by the website, a local stable owner claimed two men and two women approached his property looking to rent stable space. The stable owner described the then 27-year-old Billy as having “long reddish hair below the shoulder” and a “full beard…longer than the chin.”
On April 15, the stable owner was alerted to a missing horse on his property. When he arrived, he realized a number of horses were removed from their stables. “I could see where the horses had been led out of the area,” he said. The Sheriff’s Department had already found the horses and had two suspects in custody, Brown and an unnamed male friend.
Reportedly, the Sheriff said that the men initially lied about their names and occupations when caught, but eventually confessed to the crime. They were then arrested and charged. Billy reportedly pled guilty in court on June 20, 1980, and was sentenced to one year of probation. According to a student traveling with them, their plan was to steal horses to get over the Mexican border.
Jail-time for unsworn falsification and theft
In 2014, a Juneau grand jury charged six of the Brown family members with a total of 60 counts of first-degree unsworn falsification and first- and second-degree theft. Scott Stair, the investigations manager with the Alaska Department of Revenue, said that an out-of-state fraud tip prompted the Alaska Department of Revenue to investigate the Brown family. Stair said that between October 2009 and August 2012, the family did not meet the "physical presence requirement" to receive the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend.
In 2016, Billy and Joshua “Bam” Brown were sentenced to 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to lying about their residency in order to receive the yearly oil revenue checks given to Alaska residents. In a plea deal submitted in November, Billy admitted that he “stole $7,956 from the people of Alaska.” The stars were also sentenced to 40 hours of community service and also received a fine, while all charges were dropped against the rest of the family. They served their time.
At the time, Billy had told People magazine, “Alaska’s dividend program has specific requirements for the length of time in the state, and the reasons for being out of Alaska. Because of the way we live our lives and the way we often unconventionally travel, I didn’t keep good track of our movements. I accept full responsibility for filing for benefits without confirming that we met the requirements. We are committed to living in Alaska for the long term and we respect the state’s rules. I thought it best to settle to put this behind us.”