The cause of Matthew Perry's strange death has been released

The death of Matthew Perry has shocked the world, in general, and Hollywood, in particular. An unexpected blow for the first of the 'Friends' of an entire generation who was 54 years old.

Almost two months after the sudden passing of Matthew Perry, the cause of death has been revealed.

According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, the toxicology report suggests that the actor's death was caused by "acute effects of ketamine." This ketamine in Mathew's system led to cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression.

Mathew Perry had begun to take a therapeutic Ketamine infusion to treat his depression and anxiety a week and a half before his death. Investigators confirmed that there was no evidence of alcohol or forbidden substances in his system.

The actor himself had been open about his problems with drinking and his internal demons. However, he had also announced in recent years that he was sober and feeling much better.

Still, upon hearing the news of his sudden death on October 28, 2023, many people thought the worst: an overdose or self-harm.

The reality seems to be different. But what exactly happened before they found Matthew Perry lifeless in his jacuzzi?

As TMZ, Business Insider and other media have reported, Matthew Perry's death was due to drowning in the jacuzzi of his home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. It happened around 4 pm in the afternoon.

The actor had sent his assistant on an errand and, when he returned, he found Matthew Perry unconscious in the jacuzzi. The assistant immediately called the emergency services.

Despite their efforts to revive him, it was impossible, and emergency services had to declare the famous actor as deceased on the spot.

The apparent cause was drowning, according to first observations. Yet, more investigation was necessary to determine what caused him to collapse and drown.

Considering the possibility that cardiac arrest caused him to drown, investigators looked at his activities that day. The actor had been working out in the last hours of his life.

According to Business Insider, Matthew Perry had been playing pickleball "just hours before [he] was found dead at his California home over the weekend."

People magazine cited Perry's personal pickleball coach, Matt Manasse, who said the actor had played with another coach that day. The coach had told him "he'd been doing really well on court, which wasn't a surprise." It seemed, therefore, that Matthew Perry was a good shape earlier that day.

According to TMZ, those who entered Matthew Perry's mansion after his death did not find any illicit substances on the premises.

Crime was also ruled out as the cause of death. No break-and-entry was recorded and no objects were missing. Nor were there any signs of violence against the actor.

In parallel, however, CNN reported that the Robbery and Homicide Division of the Los Angeles Police Department maintained an open investigation. It did not entirely rule out a crime or any motive for it.

It was the toxicological report that gave the final clue. Ketamine is often used for treatment of depression, but it can have severe side effects, as the case of Matthew Perry shows.

While awaiting the results, the coroner had handed Matthew Perry's body over to the family. They could give the actor the farewell he deserved. Then, some weeks later, they finally got answers about what caused his life to end.