The shocking news of Friends star Matthew Perry’s death last year sent waves of sadness through fans around the world. Now, new developments have emerged as at least one person has been arrested in connection with his untimely passing.
Perry, 54, was found unresponsive at his Los Angeles home in October, with a post-mortem examination revealing the cause of death to be “the acute effects of ketamine”, a controlled drug he was taking as part of supervised therapy. LA police launched an investigation in May to determine why Perry had such high levels of the drug in his system.
According to reports from ABC News and TMZ, multiple individuals have been arrested and are facing federal charges, while other outlets like NBC News have confirmed at least one arrest. Police have promised to share more details at a press conference scheduled for later today.
Ketamine, a powerful anaesthetic, is commonly used to treat depression, anxiety, and pain. Perry was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy, but the drug found in his system at the time of his death could not have come from his recent therapy sessions. The levels of ketamine were as high as those administered during general anaesthesia, raising questions about how he obtained the drug.
Drowning was also listed as a contributing factor in Perry’s death, along with coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, used to treat opioid use disorder. The actor had been open about his struggles with addiction in the past, detailing his battle with substance use in his memoir.
As fans await more information from the upcoming press conference, the tragic circumstances surrounding Matthew Perry’s death continue to raise questions and shed light on the ongoing battle against addiction.