Matthew Perry Death Investigation Closed by LAPD

The investigations into Matthew Perry’s death last year have concluded, People reports. 

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed its investigation had wrapped, while the Los Angeles County Medical-Examiner-Coroner’s website listed the case status for Perry’s death as “closed.” There was never any suspicion of foul play in Perry’s death, but at the time, LAPD detectives did launch a preliminary investigation because of the actor’s “celebrity status.”  

Perry died on Oct. 28, 2023, after drowning at his Los Angeles home. An autopsy report, released several months later, revealed “high levels of ketamine” in Perry’s blood at the time, which likely caused the actor to lapse “into unconsciousness” and drown. Coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects were also cited as contributing conditions.

Perry was open about his addiction to drugs and alcohol, serving several stints in rehab, including when he was a cast member on Friends. He was especially candid about his struggles in his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, which opened with the line: “Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.”

Amidst his own battles, however, Perry dedicated himself to helping others get sober. He founded a sober living facility, Perry House, which ran for two years in the 2010s, and his longtime friend Hank Azaria credited the actor with helping him get sober. As Perry once said in a 2022 interview, “When I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing that’s mentioned — I want helping others to be the first thing that’s mentioned. And I’m going to live the rest of my life proving that.”

Following his death, Perry’s team established the Matthew Perry Foundation to continue the Friends star’s efforts to help those dealing with addiction. “It will honor his legacy and be guided by his own words and experiences and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible,” the foundation said in its mission statement.

The investigations into Matthew Perry’s death last year have concluded, People reports. 

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed its investigation had wrapped, while the Los Angeles County Medical-Examiner-Coroner’s website listed the case status for Perry’s death as “closed.” There was never any suspicion of foul play in Perry’s death, but at the time, LAPD detectives did launch a preliminary investigation because of the actor’s “celebrity status.”  

Perry died on Oct. 28, 2023, after drowning at his Los Angeles home. An autopsy report, released several months later, revealed “high levels of ketamine” in Perry’s blood at the time, which likely caused the actor to lapse “into unconsciousness” and drown. Coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects were also cited as contributing conditions.

Perry was open about his addiction to drugs and alcohol, serving several stints in rehab, including when he was a cast member on Friends. He was especially candid about his struggles in his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, which opened with the line: “Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.”

Amidst his own battles, however, Perry dedicated himself to helping others get sober. He founded a sober living facility, Perry House, which ran for two years in the 2010s, and his longtime friend Hank Azaria credited the actor with helping him get sober. As Perry once said in a 2022 interview, “When I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing that’s mentioned — I want helping others to be the first thing that’s mentioned. And I’m going to live the rest of my life proving that.”

Following his death, Perry’s team established the Matthew Perry Foundation to continue the Friends star’s efforts to help those dealing with addiction. “It will honor his legacy and be guided by his own words and experiences and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible,” the foundation said in its mission statement.