Local and federal investigators are looking for the source of the ketamine that killed “Friends” actor Matthew Perry. Memorial in New York City for Perry, who died on Oct. 28, 2023. (Katie Godowski/MediaPunch /IPX)
The Los Angeles Police Department, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, is investigating who is responsible for delivering the fatal ketamine dose to famed actor Matthew Perry.
Cops responded to the “Friends” star’s LA home on Oct. 28, 2023, where they found him dead in a hot tub. An autopsy released in December revealed Perry, 54, died from “acute effects of ketamine.” The autopsy said the amount of ketamine in Perry’s blood was enough to use as general anesthesia during surgery. Perry drowned, but that was the secondary cause of death, according to the autopsy. Ketamine “distorts perceptions of sight and sound and makes the user feel disconnected and not in control,” according to the DEA. It can also be used to treat depression.
The fact that the Postal Inspection Service is involved suggests that investigators believe Perry may have received the drug through the mail. The agency investigates all mail-related crimes and can track packages from origin to destination. News of the joint investigation was first reported by TMZ.
In recent years, law enforcement agencies have stepped up their efforts to prosecute people who have sold drugs involved in fatal overdoses. That includes deaths involving celebrities. Most notably, four people were charged in 2022 and later convicted for selling Michael K. Williams, who played Omar in the HBO series “The Wire” fentanyl-laced heroin.
Perry is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on NBC’s “Friends” from 1994 to 2004. He received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his performances in “West Wing” in 2003 and “The Ron Clark Story” in 2006. The Massachusetts native has struggled with drug and alcohol addiction since he was 14. He later became a spokesperson for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals and was open about his struggles.
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