Following the tragic death of Matthew Perry, law enforcement believes “several people” should be charged.
When the Friends star died last year at the age of 54 and the autopsy was later released, the LAPD launched an investigation into the circumstances of his overdose.
In a report by People published Tuesday, a law enforcement investigative source said the investigation is now “nearing completion.”
The source did not clarify who the “multiple people” who may be charged are, adding that any future action will ultimately be determined by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The actor died of an overdose in his hot tub at his home on October 28, 2023, according to a previous Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner report.
Following the tragic death of Matthew Perry, law enforcement believes ‘several people’ should be charged; seen in November 2022
The actor died of an overdose in his hot tub at his home on October 28, 2023, according to a previous Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner report.
His manner of death was ruled accidental, and the autopsy report released in May revealed that the actor died from the acute effects of ketamine.
Contributing factors included drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a prescription drug often used to treat people with opioid addiction.
It was later reported that Perry was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy at the time of his death.
However, in December last year, a medical expert speculated that the actor had “likely” obtained ketamine illegally for “recreational use”.
Although Perry was undergoing ketamine treatment for anxiety and depression at the time of his death, the autopsy report stated that “the ketamine in his body at death could not have come from that IV therapy.”
Working with the DEA and the US Postal Inspector, LAPD then began investigating the source of the ketamine that “ultimately played a role” in the actor’s death.
At the time, TMZ reported that an ongoing investigation aimed to determine where the actor – who has battled alcoholism and drug addiction for years – had obtained the ketamine.
“Law enforcement sources tell us there is an ongoing investigation into where Matthew obtained the ketamine that ultimately played a role in his death — and the key questions are who supplied the drug, and under what circumstances,” the outlet reported.
When the Friends star died last year at the age of 54 and the autopsy was later released, the LAPD launched an investigation into the circumstances of his overdose. In a People report published Tuesday, a law enforcement investigative source said the investigation is now “nearing completion”; seen in February 2016
He was found in the hot tub of his $6 million Pacific Palisades home
His manner of death was ruled accidental, and the autopsy report released in May revealed that the actor died from the acute effects of ketamine. Contributing factors were cited as drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a prescription drug often used to treat people with opioid addiction; seen in July 2016
Sources also told the newspaper that “both local police and the DEA have been investigating this case for months, but it is unclear where exactly investigators are in the investigation.”
It was also revealed that they had already spoken to “some key figures in Hollywood,” who are “known to have a history of drug use or abuse,” because they “could have information leading to the source,” the report said .
A year before his death, he opened up about his struggles with addiction and described his journey to sobriety in his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
In the tell-all released in 2022, he claimed he was finally sober after multiple failed attempts to get clean and had personally cost him $9 million.
Sources later told DailyMail.com that the ‘reclusive’ younger star allegedly linked up with dating app Raya to deliver drugs to his home, even while under the care of a 24/7 nursing team.
Despite having a nursing team at his $6 million Pacific Palisades home and a sober companion living with him, Perry managed to steal drugs through casual contacts without realizing it, sources said in December 2023.
“He met girls on dating apps and had them come over,” insiders claimed.
“There was a whole bunch of 21- to 25-year-olds he would meet at Raya. They would bring drugs. It was mainly Oxycontin [a powerful opioid pain killer]. He would also get illegal drugs from old girlfriends, there was some kind of network,” said a source.
Although Perry was undergoing ketamine treatment for anxiety and depression at the time of his death, his autopsy report noted that “the ketamine in his system at death could not have come from that IV therapy”; seen in November 2022
A year before his death, he opened up about his struggles with addiction and described his journey to sobriety in his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. In the tell-all released in 2022, he claimed he was finally sober after multiple failed attempts to get clean, and at a personal cost of $9 million.
The source added: ‘I think along [his memoir]Matthew thought it would help him reach the place he described.
‘He wrote about the situation he hoped was already there. He wrote the script he wanted.”
As for the ketamine that killed Perry, sources say he became addicted to the drug after it was prescribed to him for therapeutic use to treat depression.
The coroner’s report, released earlier this month, found that the ketamine in Perry’s system could not have come from his most recent therapy — and that the amount in his system was comparable to the levels used in hospitals to treat patients to anesthetize.
“Ketamine was given to him as therapy by people trying to help him,” the source said. ‘It’s really effective for some people, but not for everyone. Matthew wanted to get away from the pain of reality and fell in love with its dissociative effects.”
“His memoir is a very valuable story about the true nature of addiction,” the source added. “He was a human being who was desperately trying to get clean, who couldn’t get clean, and who faced the terrible future that awaits many addicts.”