Multiple arrests made in connection to Friends star Matthew Perry's death

Multiple arrests have been made in connection with the death of Friends star Matthew Perry.

Details about the ongoing investigation have not been disclosed. However, a news conference is scheduled to take place later on Thursday in Los Angeles, where US authorities will announce details of the case.

On October 28, 2023, an assistant found 54-year-old Perry face down in his hot tub at his home in Los Angeles, soon after paramedics were called and immediately declared him dead.

His autopsy, released in December, revealed that he had the same amount of ketamine in his bloodstream as the level used for general anaesthesia during surgery.

In May, Los Angeles police said that they were working with the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the US Postal Inspection Service with a probe into why Perry had a such a high amount of the anaesthetic in his system.

The drug was listed as the primary cause of death, which was ruled as an accident with no foul play suspected – drowning and other issues were contributing factors.

Ketamine is typically used for anaesthesia, but its use for depression, anxiety, and pain has been increasing in recent years.

People close to Perry told coroner’s investigators that he was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy.

However, the medical examiner stated that Perry’s final treatment one and a half weeks before his death would not account for the levels of ketamine in his blood. The drug is usually metabolised within a few hours.

According to the medical examiner’s report, Perry was being treated by at least two doctors; a psychiatrist and an anesthesiologist who served as his primary care physician.

No illicit drugs or paraphernalia were discovered at his residence.

Perry struggled with addiction for years, even during his time on the 90s sitcom Friends, where he played Chandler Bing alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer.