LOS ANGELES — The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) are collaborating on an investigation into the death of actor Mathew Perry, more than six months after his passing. Perry, best known for his role in the hit TV show “Friends,” died at the age of 54 on October 28. According to an autopsy report, his cause of death was attributed to the acute effects of ketamine.
The autopsy report also indicated that contributing factors to Perry’s death included drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner closed its investigation into Perry’s death in December 2023, ruling it as accidental.
Following the release of the coroner’s report, the LAPD launched its own investigation into the circumstances surrounding Perry’s overdose death. The department is cooperating with the DEA and the U.S. Postal Inspector in an effort to determine the source of the ketamine that led to Perry’s demise. TMZ initially reported on the investigation into the origin of the illicit substance.
Authorities have conducted multiple interviews as part of the investigation, but no arrests have been made thus far. Both the DEA and LAPD declined to comment when contacted for updates.
Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy at the time of his death, as revealed in the autopsy. In his memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” published a year prior to his passing, Perry candidly shared his struggles with addiction. He expressed a desire to help others by sharing his story once he had achieved sobriety and overcome the challenges of alcoholism and addiction.
The joint efforts of the DEA and LAPD seek to shed light on the circumstances surrounding Mathew Perry’s tragic death. As the investigation continues, authorities hope to determine the source of the ketamine and gain a better understanding of the events leading up to his demise.