Los Angeles, California – The Los Angeles Police Department has launched a criminal investigation into the death of actor Matthew Perry, who passed away from the acute effects of ketamine. The LAPD, in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, is actively looking into the source of the ketamine found in Perry’s system.
Perry, famous for his role in the sitcom “Friends,” was discovered unresponsive at his home on October 28, 2023, floating face down in the heated end of the pool. Witnesses informed the police that Perry had gone out to play pickleball in the morning and returned home two hours later. Shortly after, Perry’s assistant went out to run errands and upon returning, found him deceased. The actor was pronounced dead at 4:17 p.m.
The Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office released an autopsy report attributing Perry’s death to accidental causes, specifically pointing to the acute effects of ketamine. Additional factors listed were drowning, coronary artery disease, and buprenorphine effects. The report noted trace amounts of ketamine in Perry’s stomach, with the level in his bloodstream equivalent to that used in general anesthesia.
Despite Perry’s battle with addiction, he had been undergoing medically supervised ketamine treatments for depression and anxiety. The autopsy disclosed that Perry had been clear of substances for 19 months, with his last ketamine treatment prescribed a week and a half before his demise. Authorities determined that Perry did not succumb to his prior infusion therapy, as the drug’s half-life is short, but rather from an alternate ingestion method.
Ketamine, an FDA-approved anesthetic since the 1970s, has shown promise in supervised treatments for depression and anxiety. However, experts caution about its dissociative and hallucinogenic effects, along with the risks associated with overdose. The DEA highlights the potential dangers of ketamine overdose, which can lead to unconsciousness and dangerously slowed breathing.
The investigation into Matthew Perry’s death continues, shedding light on the usage and impact of ketamine as a medical treatment and prompting discussions about drug safety and monitoring in supervised therapies.