Matthew Perry's Death Investigation Nears Conclusion; Police Believe 'Multiple People' Should Be Charged For Friends Star's Demise

While details remain under wraps pending official statements, the investigation's findings related to Matthew Perry are poised to prompt significant legal decisions in the coming weeks.

Published on Jun 26, 2024  |  10:10 AM IST |  66.6K
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Matthew Perry (Getty Images)

Trigger Warning: This article contains references to alcohol and drug addiction

Eight months after Matthew Perry’s death from “acute effects of ketamine,” law enforcement reportedly believes “multiple people" should be charged for his untimely departure. Perry’s death investigation is “nearing its conclusion,” a source told People Magazine for a June 25 story.

The tipster also noted that the U.S. Attorney's Office will make the call about whether or not to press charges. The Attorney’s office, meanwhile, responded “no comments” to the publication's request for remarks on Tuesday. 

The former Friends star died on October 28, at age 54, after an apparent drowning in a hot tub at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles.

ALSO READ: 'Still Really Hard To Believe': Lauren Graham Remembers Late 'Friend And Constant' Matthew Perry

Matthew Perry’s death prompted a joint LAPD and DEA investigation

An autopsy report obtained by multiple media outlets in December 2023 revealed the actor died from acute effects of ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic drug with established medical and surgical uses. Perry reportedly received ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety; however, his last known treatment was more than a week prior to his death.

The half-life of the drug is said to be 3 to 4 hours or less, hence the ketamine in Perry’s system at death could not be from that infusion therapy.

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“The exact method of intake in Mr. Perry’s case is unknown,” his autopsy report stated. In May this year, Los Angeles Police Capt. Scot Williams said in an email that the police department was working with the DEA and U.S. Postal Inspection Service to determine why Perry had so much ketamine in his system at the time of his death, The Associated Press reported.

Other conditions that contributed to his demise were “coronary artery disease, buprenorphine effects,” the report detailed. Prescription medicines and loose pills were also found at Perry’s residence according to the autopsy.

The Fools Rush In actor was already deceased when first responders arrived at the location. “A bystander had brought the man’s head above the water and gotten him to the edge; then firefighters removed him from the water,” Captain. Erik Scott detailed, per Fox News.

Matthew Perry’s legacy and his struggles with addiction

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A year before his death, Perry, who started playing Chandler Bing on Friends when he was just 24, opened up about his struggles with addiction in his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.

“I wanted to share when I was safe from going into the dark side again,” the Canadian actor told People in 2022. “I had to wait until I was pretty safely sober and away from the active disease of alcoholism and addiction to write it down. I was pretty certain that it would help people if I did,” he added.

In 2002, Perry told the New York Times that he didn't get sober because he felt like it. Instead, he got sober because he felt like he was going to die the very next day. The actor's addiction issues began after a jet ski accident in 1997, following which he started taking Vicodin, which eventually led to alcohol abuse and frequent hangovers at work.

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Besides Friends, Matthew Perry appeared in The Whole Nine Yards (2000), Serving Sara (2002), The Ron Clark Story (2006), 17 Again (2009), and more.

If you know someone who is struggling with alcohol or substance abuse, please reach out to the authorities and report it. There are several helplines available for the same. 

ALSO READ: 'He Visits Me A Lot': Courteney Cox Says She Still Senses Late Friends Co-Star Matthew Perry Around Her

FAQ

Did Matthew Perry struggle with addiction?
Yes, Perry openly discussed his struggles with addiction, which began after a 1997 jet ski accident led to his reliance on Vicodin and later escalated into alcohol abuse.

When did Matthew Perry publicly discuss his addiction?
Perry spoke candidly about his battle with addiction in interviews and in his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.

Is anyone expected to be charged in connection with Matthew Perry's death?
Law enforcement sources reportedly believe that multiple individuals should be charged, pending a decision by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

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