Arrests Made in Investigation into Matthew Perry’s Death

Arrests have been made in connection with the death of actor Matthew Perry, best known for his role on “Friends,” who was found unresponsive at his Los Angeles home in October. According to recent reports, the cause of Perry’s death was determined to be “the acute effects of ketamine,” a controlled substance used in his supervised therapy.

The investigation, which began in May, sought to understand why Perry, 54, had elevated levels of ketamine in his system at the time of his death. Law enforcement sources confirmed to CBS that arrests have been made, though official confirmation from police and other officials has yet to be released. TMZ was the first to report on the arrests.

Ketamine, a powerful anesthetic, is also used in treating depression, anxiety, and pain. Friends and associates of Perry informed the coroner’s investigation that he was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy. However, his last session had occurred more than a week before his death, and the high levels of ketamine in his body could not have been attributed to this treatment due to the drug’s short half-life.

The medical examiner noted that the ketamine levels in Perry’s system were comparable to those used during general anesthesia. This raised questions about how Perry, who had not undergone a supervised infusion session for several days, obtained such a substantial amount of the drug. This discrepancy became a central focus of the legal investigation.

In addition to ketamine toxicity, drowning was listed as a contributing factor to Perry’s death, which was ultimately ruled an accident. Other contributing factors included coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a medication used for treating opioid use disorder.

Matthew Perry had long struggled with addiction issues, including painkillers and alcohol, which he openly discussed in his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. At the peak of his fame, he underwent multiple stints in rehabilitation facilities. Perry admitted in  2016  that he could not recall three years of filming “Friends” due to his substance abuse. Despite numerous attempts at recovery, he acknowledged in his memoir that he had remained mostly sober since 2001, albeit with some setbacks.

The recent arrests mark a significant development in the ongoing investigation into Perry’s death, highlighting the complexities and challenges surrounding his final days.