At least one arrest made in connection to Matthew Perry’s death
Authorities have arrested at least one person in connection with Matthew Perry’s death, a law enforcement official tells The Associated Press.
The official was not authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. Authorities have scheduled a news conference in Los Angeles to announce details in the case later Thursday morning.
Los Angeles police said in May that they were working with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with a probe into why the 54-year-old had so much of the surgical anesthetic in his system.
An assistant found Perry face down in his hot tub on Oct. 28, and paramedics who were called immediately declared him dead.
His autopsy, released in December, found that the amount of ketamine in his blood was in the range used for general anesthesia during surgery.
The decades-old drug has seen a huge surge in use in recent years as a treatment for depression, anxiety and pain. People close to Perry told coroner’s investigators that he was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy.
But the medical examiner said Perry’s last treatment 1 1/2 weeks earlier wouldn’t explain the levels of ketamine in his blood. The drug is typically metabolized in a matter of hours. At least two doctors were treating Perry, a psychiatrist and an anesthesiologist who served as his primary care physician, the medical examiner’s report said. No illicit drugs or paraphernalia were found at his house.
Ketamine was listed as the primary cause of death, which was ruled an accident with no foul play suspected, the report said. Drowning and other medical issues were contributing factors, the coroner said.
The investigation into Matthew Perry's death involved collaboration between Los Angeles police, the DEA, and the US Postal Inspection Service due to the large amount of surgical anesthetic found in his system. Despite undergoing ketamine infusion therapy, Perry's last treatment didn't fully explain the high levels of ketamine in his blood, leading to a discussion about entertainment-related alternatives to manage his depression and anxiety.
