Understanding the Police Probe Into Matthew Perry's Death
Los Angeles Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are investigating the source of the ketamine that led to Matthew Perry’s death, authorities said on Tuesday.
Perry, a household name best known for his decade-long portrayal of Chandler Bing in comedy series Friends, was discovered unresponsive in the “heated end of a swimming pool” in his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28.
A post-mortem found that the 54-year-old actor’s cause of death was the accidental result of "the acute effects of ketamine". Drowning was cited as a secondary factor , and there were no signs of fatal trauma or foul play.
Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties, has both recreational uses and medicinal uses; it is occasionally used for the treatment of depression and other mental health conditions.
When contacted for further information, LAPD referred TIME to its statements made via X (formerly Twitter), as seen below.
On 12-15-23, the autopsy indicated Mr. Perry died from the “acute effects of ketamine.” Based on the Medical Examiner’s findings, the LAPD with the assistance of DEA and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, has continued its investigation into the circumstances of Perry’s death.
— LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) May 21, 2024
TIME also reached out to the DEA for comment and further information.
Read More: Matthew Perry Is Mourned by His Friends Castmates in Moving Tributes
An autopsy report by the Los Angeles County Coroner determined that Perry—who had openly struggled with drug and alcohol addiction—was reportedly undergoing ketamine infusion therapy, an experimental treatment for depression. Perry had been "reportedly clean for 19 months” according to PEOPLE, which obtained a copy of the autopsy report.
It also found that the level of ketamine present in Perry’s blood amounted to that used during general anesthesia. The medical examiner noted that Perry’s last treatment took place a week and a half before his death and could not account for this volume.
Perry outlined his struggles with addiction in his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, which was published on Nov. 1, 2022, almost a year before his death.
In an interview with podcast host Tom Power to promote the book, Perry said he would rather be remembered for helping others trying to get sober.
“The best thing about me, bar none, is that if somebody comes to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking, can you help me?’ I can say ‘yes’ and follow up and do it,” he said. “When I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing that’s mentioned. I want that to be the first thing that’s mentioned. And I’m gonna live the rest of my life proving that.”
Write to Armani Syed at armani.syed@time.com.
