Police in Los Angeles have confirmed they have opened an investigation into the death of actor Matthew Perry, star of the hit TV sitcom “Friends.” Perry died in October from “acute effects of ketamine,” according to medical officials.
Cause of Death and Investigation Focus
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is collaborating with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the US Postal Inspection Service to determine how Perry obtained the anaesthetic ketamine found in his system. Drowning was also listed as a contributing factor in his death, which was ruled an accident. The investigation, first reported by TMZ, seeks to uncover details about the source of the ketamine.
Medical Examiner’s Report
Perry, 54, was found unresponsive in the pool of his LA home on October 28 and was later pronounced dead at the scene. The LA County medical examiner’s office reported high levels of ketamine in Perry’s post-mortem blood specimen. Other contributing factors included coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder.
“Drowning contributes due to the likelihood of submersion into the pool as he lapsed into unconsciousness; coronary artery disease contributes due to exacerbation of ketamine-induced myocardial effects on the heart,” said Senior Deputy Medical Examiner Raffi Djabourian.
Perry’s Treatment and Addiction History
At the time of his death, Perry had been receiving medically supervised ketamine treatments for depression and anxiety. However, the report noted that his last prescribed ketamine treatment was a week and a half before his death. The ketamine in his system at the time of death was not from these treatments, as the drug’s half-life is three to four hours or less.
Perry had a long history of battling addiction to painkillers and alcohol, having attended rehabilitation clinics on multiple occasions. In a 2016 interview with BBC Radio 2, he revealed that he could not remember three years of filming during “Friends” due to his substance abuse.
Ongoing Investigation
The LAPD confirmed that detectives have been interviewing individuals who might have information on the source of the drugs but have yet to narrow in on a specific source. No arrests have been made.
“Based on the Medical Examiner’s findings, the Los Angeles Police Department, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service, has continued its investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Perry’s death,” the LAPD said in a statement.
Legacy and Advocacy
Matthew Perry was best known for his role as Chandler Bing on “Friends” and starred in other TV series such as “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” and films like “17 Again” and “Fools Rush In.” In his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” Perry opened up about his addiction struggles, which began after a doctor prescribed him Vicodin following a jet ski accident.
In a “20/20” interview with Diane Sawyer, Perry expressed his desire to help others struggling with addiction, saying, “Obviously, because I was on ‘Friends,’ more people will listen to me. So I’ve got to take advantage of that, and I’ve got to help as many people as I can.”
The investigation into Matthew Perry’s death remains ongoing.
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Written By Doris Chinwe Omemgbeoji