Police have launched an investigation into how actor Matthew Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom “Friends,” obtained the large amount of ketamine that led to his death, authorities announced on Tuesday.
The Los Angeles Police Department is collaborating with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to determine why the 54-year-old actor had such a high level of the drug in his system.
On October 28, an assistant discovered Perry unresponsive in his hot tub, and paramedics called to the scene immediately pronounced him dead. The autopsy report, released in December, revealed that the amount of ketamine in Perry’s blood was equivalent to the levels used for general anesthesia during surgery.
The coroner ruled the death an accident, with no foul play suspected, and listed ketamine as the primary cause of death, along with contributing factors such as drowning and other medical issues.
Sources close to Perry informed coroner’s investigators that he had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy, a treatment that has gained popularity in recent years for managing depression, anxiety, and pain. However, the medical examiner noted that Perry’s last treatment, which occurred 1 1/2 weeks before his death, could not account for the high levels of ketamine in his blood, as the drug is typically metabolized within hours.
Perry had a history of addiction dating back to his time on “Friends,” during which he became one of the biggest television stars of his generation. The show, which aired on NBC from 1994 to 2004, also starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer.
In some cases, drug-related celebrity deaths have prompted authorities to prosecute those who supplied the substances.
For example, after rapper Mac Miller died from an overdose of cocaine, alcohol, and counterfeit oxycodone containing fentanyl, two men who provided him with the fentanyl were convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Matthew Perry’s death is ongoing, as authorities work to determine how he obtained the ketamine that ultimately claimed his life.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.