CNN –
The cause of actor Matthew Perry’s death at his home on Saturday requires further investigative steps by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office before a conclusion can be reached, according to the agency.
The coroner updated its online file for Perry on Sunday afternoon, listing his cause of death as “deferred.”
“In cases where the cause of death cannot be determined at the time of autopsy, a deferred certificate will be issued pending further study,” according to LA coroner’s guidelines.
An autopsy has been performed, but investigators are awaiting the results of toxicology reports to determine Perry’s cause of death, the medical examiner’s office told CNN on Sunday. Such reports can take weeks to produce.
Investigators plan to use the toxicology reports to determine whether any foreign substances may have contributed to Perry’s death, according to a law enforcement source.
The Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery and Homicide Unit is investigating Perry’s death, but a law enforcement source told CNN that no foul play is suspected. On Sunday, coroner’s records indicated that the actor’s remains were ready to be returned to his next of kin.
Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey told CNN that a 911 call for a water rescue emergency came in at 4:07 p.m. Saturday. The LAPD responded at 4:10 p.m. and shortly thereafter labeled the call a death investigation.
As the Los Angeles Times reported, citing law enforcement sources, Perry, 54, was unresponsive in his hot tub.
Perry’s parents, John Bennett Perry and Suzanne Morrison, along with his stepfather, “Dateline” correspondent Keith Morrison, were seen arriving at the actor’s home during police operations on Saturday evening.
On Sunday, Perry’s family released a statement to People magazine saying they were “heartbroken over the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother.”
“Matthew has brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and as a friend,” the statement said. “You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous love that has flowed his way.”
Perry was open about his problems.
In his memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir,” which he released in November 2022, he discussed his recovery from addiction and his commitment to helping others.
“The best thing about me is when someone comes to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking, can you help me?’ I can say yes and go ahead and do it,” he said last year when he appeared on the “Q With Tom Power” podcast to discuss his book.
Perry went on to say that he wanted to be remembered “as someone who lived well, loved well, was a seeker” and that “his main concern is that he wants to help people.”
“That’s what I want,” he said.
Matthew Perry reveals what he would do if he hadn’t become an actor (2002)
Perry battled addiction at the height of his career on Friends and said during the interview that he couldn’t watch the show for that reason.
Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc starred alongside Perry in “Friends,” which ran from 1994 to 2004.
The actors have not yet commented on Perry’s death.
On Sunday, “Friends” co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane and executive producer Kevin Bright released a statement to CNN saying they were “shocked and deeply saddened by the death of our beloved friend Matthew.”
“It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him in our lives,” their statement said. “He was a brilliant talent. It’s a cliché to say that an actor makes a role their own, but in Matthew’s case there are no more accurate words. From the day we first heard him portray the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us.”
The statement added: “We will always appreciate the joy, light and dazzling intelligence that he brought to every moment – not only to his work but to his life.” He was always the funniest person in the room. “Moreover, he was the sweetest, with a generous and selfless heart… This is truly the one with whom our hearts are broken.”