Matthew Byars, an assistant and talent manager who briefly appeared in Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Potomac," has died. He was 37

Byars' was pronounced dead Thursday from "multiple blunt force injuries," a spokesperson for the Maryland Chief Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Friday to The Times. The medical examiner ruled his manner of death as suicide.

No additional details were immediately available.

Byars, who was not a Bravo talent, was friends with several of the cable network's reality-star "housewives." He was introduced in a Season 3 episode of "RHOP" as a member of Karen Huger's management team and famously appeared at her contentious "press conference," which Huger held to clarify rumors about her financial woes and, later, she said, to suss out who her real friends were.

Representatives for Huger did not immediately respond Friday to The Times' requests for comment.

In a 2019 interview with the Daily Dish, Huger said she had known Byars since he was a teenager and encouraged him "when life is difficult."

"A lot of people call me 'Mama Karen' in Potomac because I love helping young folk," she said. "When life was trying to him, I reached out and told him to go to school, and he did, and now we work together."

"The Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Melissa Gorga was among those who paid tribute to Byars on social media.

"Matt - Why didn't you tell me Matt?" Gorga wrote Friday on Instagram, posting a video featuring them together. "I'm heartbroken. Your personality was infectious. Your jokes- you always had them. You should have done stand up- I know it was your dream. My heart hurts Matt . Because earlier this week you didn't tell me.

"I know life was tough- I know," she added. "Thank you for bringing me my very 1st performance of 'ON DISPLAY'- you and I- WE ARE LOYAL. They don't make them like us. I wish I could have saved you. Thank you for the memories ... Go fly- Go make them laugh."

"RHOP" cast member Charrisse Jackson-Jordan shared a photo taken with Byars on her Instagram story that she captioned "Rest In Peace."

———

Suicide prevention and crisis counseling resources

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, seek help from a professional and call 9-8-8. The United States’ first nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline 988 will connect callers with trained mental health counselors. Text “HOME” to 741741 in the U.S. and Canada to reach the Crisis Text Line.

———

©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.