Matthew Perry, the “Friends” actor who publicly struggled with alcohol and drug use for decades, died from “the acute effects of ketamine,” the Los Angeles County coroner said in an autopsy report Friday, months after his death, was found dead in his home.
Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub on October 28th. He was 54 years old.
The coroner's office said Perry, who also had the opioid buprenorphine in his system, drowned in an accident. The report said he also suffered from coronary heart disease. The medical examiner also cited the effects of buprenorphine, an opioid, as a contributing factor in his death.
Ketamine is a powerful anesthetic that is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative therapy for depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other difficult-to-treat mental health issues. The Food and Drug Administration issued an alert in October warning of the dangers of treating psychiatric disorders with compounded versions of the drug.
The autopsy report said Perry received “ketamine infusion therapy” and that his last therapy occurred about a week and a half before his death.
It had taken months to get autopsy results, and in October experts warned that it would take a lot of time to conduct a thorough toxicology exam and review other evidence.
Immediately after Perry's death, and because of his celebrity status, detectives from the county's Robbery and Homicide Unit conducted a preliminary investigation and later said they saw no signs of crime.
In the days following Perry's death, the agency said on its website that the announcement of Perry's cause of death had been “delayed.” This usually indicates that further investigation is required. Perry's case was later completely removed from the site.
Dr. Judy Melinek, a forensic pathologist not involved in the investigation into Perry's death, said test results can take weeks due to a lack of qualified toxicologists, funding and equipment.
“It is appropriate that it takes a long time,” said Dr. Melinek in an interview in October. “Sometimes it takes months to conduct a proper investigation.”
Perry has not been shy about speaking publicly about his problems with alcohol and drug use, which sometimes resulted in hospitalizations for a variety of ailments. By his own admission, Perry had spent more than half of his life in treatment and rehabilitation facilities.
In his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” Perry detailed some of the health challenges he faced over the years, including a series of medical episodes in 2018 pneumonia, an exploded colon and a short stay on life support, two weeks in a coma, nine months with a colostomy bag and more than half a dozen stomach surgeries.
Perry was just 24 years old when he was cast on Friends, a show that would change his life forever and give him a permanent place in the spotlight. This sitcom ran for ten seasons from 1994 to 2004 and eventually earned him and his co-stars $1 million per episode. During Friends, Perry starred in a number of films, some of which failed to captivate audiences at the box office, including Almost Heroes (1998) with Chris Farley and Three to Tango (1999).
Following Perry's death, tributes from fans and friends flooded the internet, with many remembering him for his acting talent, kindness and courage in the face of challenges. His “Friends” cast said in a joint statement that they were “deeply devastated” by Perry’s sudden death. “We were more than just cast mates,” the statement said. “We are a family.”
According to People, a private funeral for Perry was held on November 3rd. The outlet said a service was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, a cemetery where many of Hollywood's biggest stars are buried, including Debbie Reynolds, Paul Walker and Bob Barker.
Orlando Mayorquin and Matt Stevens contributed reporting.