Matthew Perry’s Death Now Under Investigation by DEA and LAPD

Authorities are looking into the death of actor Matthew Perry. Following the Friends star’s passing in October 2023, it’s now been confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched into how Perry died.

Per TMZ, the LAPD has begun a criminal investigation looking into the actor’s death, and the DEA has also gotten involved. The investigation is said to have been in the process for months, and various “key people in Hollywood” have been interviewed, but it’s not clear how much progress has been made by investigators. Reportedly, authorities have spoken to people who are known to have a history of drug use, and that could lead to determining the source of the ketamine. No suspects have been named, and no arrests have been made at this time.

When Perry died, it was later determined that the “acute effects of ketamine” had contributed to his death. The criminal investigation is meant to uncover where Perry acquired the ketamine and why so much was in his system. Perry had gone through ketamine infusion therapy to treat depression and anxiety before his passing. However, the ketamine in his system couldn’t have been from his last treatment, which was more than a week before his death. Ketamine passes out of a user’s system within a matter of hours.

Police Are Looking to Find Out Who Supplied the Ketamine

Naturally, this would suggest that Perry may have obtained the ketamine that contributed to his death illegally. Police are likely looking to identify the person or persons who supplied the actor with the drug to then bring them up on charges. This would be similar to other high-profile cases involving celebrities who’d died from drug use. Rapper Mac Miller’s 2018 fentanyl overdose led to the arrests of three men after an investigation, and while one case is still pending, one of the perps was sentenced to over 17 years in prison, while the other was given an 11-year sentence.

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Perry was open about his struggles with addiction in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. He’d estimated that his addictions had cost him around $9 million, which includes over a dozen stomach surgiers and 15 stays in rehab. On Oct. 28, 2023, Perry was found deceased in a hot tub, and it was initially unclear as to how the actor died. His cause of death was later determined to be from a combination of the acute effects of ketamine, coronary artery disease, and drowning.

Source: Variety

Friends

Follows Chandler, Joey, Monica, Phoebe, Rachel and Ross, friends who live in the Manhattan borough of New York City.

Release Date

September 22, 1994

Cast

David Schwimmer , Matthew Perry , Jennifer Aniston , Matt LeBlanc , Lisa Kudrow , Courtney Cox

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

10 Seasons

Creator

David Crane, Marta Kauffman

Production Company

Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, Warner Bros. Television