High-Profile Case Links Actors’ Death to Ketamine Distribution
In a shocking turn of events, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said on Thursday morning that five people had been charged in relation to the actor Matthew Perry’s murder. The accusations that these people were engaged in providing ketamine to Perry in the weeks preceding his death are the basis for the charges, which were made public during a Los Angeles news conference.
The Charges and Defendants
Among the accused are two physicians, Perry’s live-in personal assistant, and a lady referred to as “The Ketamine Queen” by the media. Perry, who had battled addiction, is alleged to have received ketamine from them. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada claims that Matthew Perry weaknesses were taken advantage of by the defendants.
The statement “They knew what they were doing was wrong” by Estrada highlighted the seriousness of the charges.
Perry’s Tragic Death
At the age of 54, Matthew Perry, who gained popularity as Chandler Bing on the beloved television series Friends, passed away in October 2023. He was found in his Pacific Palisades home’s pool, face down. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s assessment revealed that his cause of death was “acute effects of ketamine” and that he had drowned.
BREAKING: Multiple arrests made in the death of Matthew Perry after he passed away in his hot tub last October.
According to Fox News, the ketamine found in Perry's body was not prescribed.
"According to TMZ, law enforcement agencies executed search warrants, seizing computers,… pic.twitter.com/hBxTg6frdo
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 15, 2024Several organizations, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, looked into Perry’s death, which the Los Angeles Police Department first thought to be a criminal case. The question on the minds of the authorities was how Perry got the narcotics and who may have supplied them.
Perry’s Battle with Addiction
In his biography, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, published in 2022, Matthew Perry had been candid about his battles with addiction. He explained how, following a jet ski accident in 1997, he started abusing prescription drugs, eventually consuming up to 55 tablets each day. During his tenure on Friends, it was evident that his addiction caused him to lose a large amount of weight.
Ketamine has been more well-liked as a mental health therapy for conditions including anxiety and depression in recent years. Prior to his passing, Perry was apparently receiving treatment from many physicians and undergoing ketamine infusion therapy.
Reaction from Friends Co-Stars
There was general shock and sadness upon Perry’s passing. The co-stars of his show Friends, Courtney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, and Lisa Kudrow, all published a statement expressing their shock. They requested privacy as they worked with their loss and referred to Perry as more than just a coworker.
“We are all so completely devastated by the loss of Matthew,” the message said. We were not just fellow cast members. Our family is here. We will take a minute to grieve and comprehend this unbelievable loss right now, even though there is so much more to say. We will expand on this later, when we get the opportunity. We are sending our love and condolences to Matthew Perry friends, family, and all of his supporters worldwide at this time.
