In his memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” which was published in 2022, Matthew Perry, who had chronically fought with addiction to alcohol and opioids for the majority of his life, wrote about his experience with ketamine therapy.
According to Matthew, the dissociative anesthetic medicine was administered by his medical professionals to alleviate pain and to assist with depression. The effects of ketamine were described as "being hit in the head with a giant happy shovel" and "feeling like a giant exhale."
Having said that, he continued by saying, "The hangover was rough and overwhelmed the shovel." Despite this, Matthew continued to utilize it while under the supervision of a physician.
According to the findings of the autopsy, Matthew was also privately misusing it. Around the October 28, the lifeless body of the “Friends” star, who was 54 years old, was found in the hot tub of his home in Los Angeles. The "acute effects of ketamine" turned out to be the cause of his death. On the other hand, the actor had received his final therapy from his physician approximately one and a half weeks prior to his untimely death.
Due to the rapid metabolism of the drug, the postmortem report said that "the ketamine that was present in his system at the time of his death could not have been the result of that infusion therapy." According to an unnamed source, the authorities quietly initiated a criminal investigation as it became evident that someone had to have provided Matthew with the drug that was in his system. This investigation has placed the underworld of drug selling in Hollywood on high alert.
According to reports, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), which is now collaborating with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPSI) on the investigation, is currently preparing to hold a news conference in order to announce the possibility of filing charges. "No comment" was the previous response from the United States Attorney's office.
Star Magazine is able to provide additional confirmation that the inquiry has ensnared a good number of well-known personalities. “They have a list of suspects. It’s got a lot of people in Hollywood on edge,” an unnamed insider told the entertainment news outlet.
It is clear that the Canadian actor was aware of who to contact in the event that he required assistance, as stated by the informant. The individual or individuals in question might shortly be subject to repercussions. According to a report from a news organization, police are investigating not only drug dealers and people who trade drugs but also maybe medical professionals who have written prescriptions that are not necessary for medical treatment.
This suggests that detectives may attempt to prosecute defendants with drug distribution that results in death or grave bodily injury, a crime that has a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years in jail. Involuntary manslaughter charges, which carry a potential term of up to five years in prison, are also a possibility, according to a different news station.
“It’s likely they’ll find more people linked to this swapping of drugs by tracking cell phone conversations, text messages, emails, internet use and physical location,” the tipster told the magazine.
In June, a shocking lead in the investigation was revealed. “Officers seized an iPhone and a laptop from a [famous] woman’s room at a sober living residence in L.A. and brought her in for questioning,” a mole revealed to Star Magazine, explaining that Matthew had "formed an unexpected friendship" with the socialite and actress, who the tabloid has now publicly revealed as Brooke Mueller, 46, ex-wife of actor Charlie Sheen, after supposedly meeting her during one of his 15 stints in rehabilitation, Matthew had stated that he had "formed an unexpected friendship" with her.
Brooke, who has been struggling with her sobriety for years, was "completely cooperative" with authorities and has not been arrested, according to the spy. Brooke has not been arrested. Over the course of the subsequent days, it became known that a second famous acquaintance might potentially be involved in the investigation into Matthew's death caused by marijuana.
This second star and the actor who is famed for playing the sarcastic Chandler Bing both claimed to be sober, but in reality, they were "walking pharmacies" who engaged in late-night conversations about their addictions, struggles with recovery, and personal affairs. This information was provided by a second source. In addition, there is photographic evidence that Matthew and this second friend, who will remain nameless, were seen together at the office of a physician who prescribes ketamine.
The second person with knowledge of the situation feels that Matthew and the second celebrity friend may have "helped" each other by sending each other to their respective physicians whenever their own resources of medication were running short.
The second insider asserts that a closer examination of that relationship has the ability to yield potential leads into the origin of the ketamine that was responsible for the death of the “17 Again” star.
“If the Feds had either one of their phones — especially [the second celeb’s], because she doesn’t erase her text messages — they would probably find conversations about the drug and ‘How can I get extra?’ I am 100 percent sure they’ll find information that could help their investigation,” the tattler said.
Tracy Walder, a former special agent for both the CIA and the FBI, stated to a news organization that was covering the case that there has been a significant increase in the number of drug rings shipping prescription medication through the United States Postal Service. This practice is called mail fraud, which is a federal violation.
“Using the mail to commit a crime is more common than you think. Say someone gets a legal prescription for ketamine and maybe has a $20 copay on insurance, then decides to sell the prescription for $10K because this junkie needs it and they know he has the money. There is big money to be made,” Tracy said.
"Intent is going to be the question," the former agent added when it comes to the accusations that will ultimately be brought against the defendant. It is clear that whoever assisted Matthew in obtaining narcotics was aware that what they were doing was unethical. On the other hand, did they have the knowledge that if they obtained this [medicine for Matthew], it would ultimately result in his death?
Even if those responsible for Matthew's drug distribution are brought to prison, the suffering of his loved ones will continue. His stepfather, the well-known Dateline correspondent Keith Morrison, who is 77 years old, expressed his regret on a podcast in March, saying, "It doesn't go away yet. Every every day, it is with you. It doesn't leave your side at any time."
In May, Courteney Cox, who is 60 years old, admitted that she deals with her loss by chatting with her on-screen husband. She revealed that her husband "visits me a lot," and she also stated, "I sense Matthew's around for sure." During an interview with Variety in June, Jennifer Aniston was brought to tears simply by thinking about Matthew.
“They’re still so shaken up by his loss. They wanted to believe Matthew had his life back under control, but he didn’t, and it was much worse than they could have imagined,” the naysayer stated.
