(CNN) – The cause of death of actor Matthew Perry at his residence on Saturday requires further investigative steps by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office before a conclusion can be made, according to the agency.
The coroner updated its online file for Perry this 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,” the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Guidelines state.
An autopsy has already been performed, but medical examiners are awaiting the results of toxicology reports to determine Perry’s cause of death, the coroner’s office told CNN on Sunday. These reports can take weeks to complete.
Investigators plan to use 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. This Sunday, coroner’s records indicated that the actor’s remains were ready to be handed over to his relatives.
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. Los Angeles police responded at 4:10 p.m. and shortly thereafter classified the call as a death investigation.
Perry, 54, was found unconscious in his hot tub, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing law enforcement sources.
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 on Saturday evening as part of the police operation.
This Sunday, Perry’s family issued 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 a lot to him and we appreciate the tremendous love that has flowed his way.”
an open book
Perry spoke openly about his addiction 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, without exception, is that when someone comes to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking, can you help me?’, I can say yes and do it,” he said during an appearance on the podcast “Q With Tom Power” last year to talk about 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 most important thing is that he wanted to help people.”
“That’s what I want,” he said.
Perry battled addiction at the height of his “Friends” career and said during the interview that he couldn’t watch the series for that reason.
Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc starred alongside Perry in “Friends,” which aired from 1994 to 2004.
The actors have not yet commented on Perry’s death.
This Sunday, “Friends” co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane and executive producer Kevin Bright issued a statement to CNN saying they were “shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend Matthew.”
“It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have him in our lives,” their statement read. “He was a brilliant talent. It’s a cliché to say that an actor makes a role their own, but for Matthew there are no truer words. From the first day we heard him play 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 he brought to every moment, not just in his work but in life. He was always the funniest person in the room. “More than that, he was the sweetest, with a generous and selfless heart… That’s really the one who breaks our hearts.”