Matthew Perry’s Death Still Under Investigation

Investigation into Matthew Perry’s death is ongoing according to reports.

While it was publicly considered an “open and shut case,” with news of his drowning ruled as an accident, authorities are not satisfied with the cause and manner of his death.

Investigators are still looking into how the 54-year-old Friends actor got hold of ketamine. Found in his system alongside buprenorphine, law enforcement shared that the drug is used to treat opioid use disorder.

Sources informed TMZ that local police and the DEA are involved in the investigation. So far, they’ve interviewed a few people in Hollywood, especially individuals who are known for their history of drug use or abuse. No arrests have been made.

Perry, who played the charming Chandler Bing, was found unresponsive in the hot tub of the ritzy Pacific Palisades neighborhood on October 28, 2023. Shortly before his death, he played a 2-hour round of pickleball at the Riviera Country Club near his home.

First responders declared him dead at the scene. While authorities initially thought that he died by drowning, a toxicology report by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that he died from ketamine.

According to the document, the actor has been undergoing ketamine infusion, which is used to treat depression and anxiety. His last treatment session took place a week and a half before his death.

However, the amount of ketamine in his bloodstream was beyond the legally prescribed dose for infusions. Authorities described his ketamine level as being closer to patients undergoing surgery.

Medical experts suspect that the Whole Nine Yards star obtained the drug illegally. 

Dr. Bankole Johnson, a leading and award-winning neuroscientist, supported the theory, saying “It would be questionable medicine to provide ketamine to someone also using buprenorphine—a true recipe for disaster.” 

Authorities are in the process of discovering who he got the special K (also known as horse tranquilizer) from and the circumstances in which it was obtained.

Perry’s goofy on-screen persona made him famous but behind closed doors, he was fighting a decade-long battle with addiction. He opened up about his struggles in his memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. Through the publication, he revealed that he has been in and out of rehab 15 times, went through 65 detoxes, and attended 6,000 AA meetings.

He also shed light on his health struggles, revealing that he had a near-death experience in 2018 when his colon burst due to opioid use. He says he had to undergo surgery for gastrointestinal perforation with a 2% chance of survival. The procedure left him in a coma for two weeks and hospitalized for five.

According to reports, Perry had been clean for 19 months.

His co-star and friend, Jennifer Aniston, recalls talking to the actor the day he died. “He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. He was happy—that’s all I know,” she tearfully shared in an interview. 

“I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy,” she added.

She also attempted to set the record straight about his drug use. “I want people to know he was really healthy, and getting healthy. He was on a pursuit. He worked so hard. He really was dealt a tough one,” The Good Girl actress shared.