Matthew Perry died from the acute effects of ketamine, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office revealed Friday.
The actor’s death was an accident, the autopsy found. He was found unresponsive in his hot tub, and the manner of death was labeled “drug and drowning related,” according to the medical examiner report. Other contributing factors included coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid use disorder, the medical examiner wrote in a news release.
Matthew Perry in 2015, in New York. Brian Ach/Invision via AP, file
There were no signs of foul play or fatal trauma, the autopsy report read.
Perry, known for playing Chandler Bing in “Friends,” was found dead on Oct. 28 at his pool at his home in Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles. He was 54 years old.
The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement the following day that Perry was discovered unresponsive in his Jacuzzi by a witness. Once the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded, Perry was pronounced dead.
The “Friends” actor was open about his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction for decades, as he detailed in his 2022 memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” Following his death, the Matthew Perry Foundation was set up in his name for those struggling with addiction.
The actor also appeared in other films and television shows such as “17 Again” and “Beverly Hills, 90210.” He also received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his roles in “The West Wing” and “The Ron Clark Story.”
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