The Los Angeles Police Department has launched an investigation into the death of actor Matthew Perry, known for his role in the popular TV show Friends.
Perry passed away in October due to the “acute effects of ketamine,” according to medical officials. The investigation will focus on how Perry obtained the anaesthetic ketamine that was found in his system.
In addition to ketamine, drowning was listed as a contributing factor in Perry’s death, which was ruled an accident. The investigation, which is being conducted in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Agency and the US Postal Inspection Service, aims to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the 54-year-old actor’s passing.
Perry was discovered unresponsive in the pool of his Los Angeles home on October 28 and was pronounced dead on the scene. Following his death, high levels of ketamine were found in his post-mortem blood specimen, along with other contributing factors such as coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder.
It was revealed that Perry had been undergoing medically supervised ketamine treatments for depression and anxiety at the time of his death, although his last prescribed ketamine treatment took place a week and a half prior to his passing. The actor had a history of battling addiction to painkillers and alcohol, seeking treatment at rehabilitation clinics on multiple occasions.
Despite his struggles, Perry claimed to have been mostly sober since 2001, with a few setbacks along the way.
