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Arrest made in Matthew Perry's death from 'acute effects of ketamine': Reports

Cast member Matthew Perry attends the premiere of the film "17 Again" in Los Angeles April 14, 2009." Phil McCarten, REUTERS

Cast member Matthew Perry attends the premiere of the film "17 Again" in Los Angeles April 14, 2009." Phil McCarten, REUTERS

At least one person has been arrested in connection to "Friends" star Matthew Perry's death from "the acute effects of ketamine" last October.

Law enforcement officials confirmed the news to ABC NewsNBC News and the Los Angeles Times on Thursday. NBC and the LA Times report one person has been arrested, while ABC cites multiple arrests. A press conference is reportedly set for 10 a.m. PT, according to ABC News.

In May, the LAPD confirmed the joint investigation in an emailed statement to USA TODAY.

"Based on the Medical Examiner's findings, the Los Angeles Police Department, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service, has continued its investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Perry's death," the statement read

Cast member Matthew Perry attends the premiere of the film '17 Again' in Los Angeles April 14, 2009.
Caption
 

In December, more than a month after Perry's death, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office released Perry's autopsy report, which was obtained by USA TODAY. His death was ruled an accident, with the cause being "the acute effects of ketamine." Contributing factors were drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine.

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Buprenorphine is "an opioid-like drug used in the treatment of opioid addiction as well as acute and chronic pain," according to Perry's 29-page autopsy report. There were no signs of "fatal trauma and no foul play suspected," per the report.

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Ketamine levels on par with general anesthesia were in Matthew Perry's system

Ketamine is a "dissociative anesthetic" that "has some hallucinogenic and distorts the perception of sight and sound," according to the DEA's website. The medical examiner said the amount of ketamine found in his system was as high as 3,540 nanograms per milliliter. "Levels for general anesthesia are typically in the 1,000-6,000 ng/ml ranges," the report notes.

There were no pills, drugs or medications found near the pool, according to his autopsy. Perry, who was reportedly sober for 19 months, didn't have alcohol or drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl in his system.

The autopsy report:Matthew Perry's cause of death revealed

Perry was "reported to be receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety," according to the report, and his last session was reportedly one and a half weeks before his death. But, the report notes, "the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamine’s half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less." The autopsy also said the method of intake was unclear.

"At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression," the report reads.

"Drowning contributes due to the likelihood of submersion into the pool as he lapsed into unconsciousness; coronary artery disease contributes due to exacerbation of ketamine induced myocardial effects of the heart."

On Oct. 28, 2023, the Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed to USA TODAY that firefighters responded to Perry's Pacific Palisades home at 4:07 p.m. that day and found "an adult male unconscious in a stand-alone jacuzzi." Responding officers pronounced him dead at 4:17 p.m.

"A rapid medical assessment, sadly, revealed the man was deceased prior to first responder arrival," Nicholas Prange, an LAFD spokesperson, told USA TODAY in a statement on Oct. 30.

Author: Editors Desk, KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY

Source: USA Today

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