Los Angeles Police begin investigation into Matthew Perry’s death
On October 28th, 2023, Matthew Perry passed away at his home in Los Angeles. The actor was just 54 at the time; however, he died following a long battle with addiction that began during his early rise to fame alongside his Friends co-stars in the 1990s.
Following initial inquiries, the actor’s death by drowning was ruled as an accident caused by the “acute effects of ketamine,” with several compounding factors, including coronary artery disease, drowning, and the effects of buprenorphine.
In the year leading up to his death, Perry had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy as a treatment method for depression and anxiety. Medical professionals believed the therapy could help the Friends star avoid his urges to return to alcohol.
The post-mortem examiner suggested in December that “the ketamine in his system at death could not be that from infusion therapy.” They could not confirm the method of intake, but Perry was allegedly clean at the time and had been for 19 months.
“At the high levels of ketamine found in his post-mortem blood specimens,” senior deputy medical examiner Raffi Djabourian wrote, “the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression.”
Djabourian continued, outlining the ancillary factors that led to Perry’s death. “Drowning contributes 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 hearts.”
Now, almost seven months on, the Los Angeles Police Department has opened a new investigation into the actor’s death. The detectives intend to understand how the actor accessed the “high levels” of ketamine that toxicologists found in his bloodstream.
The actor’s death by drowning was ruled as an accident, but the LAPD plans to leave no stone unturned to bring closure to the case and, thus, Perry’s family and friends.
This is a developing story.
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