The LAPD and the DEA are investigating Matthew Perry's death

Six months after Matthew Perry’s tragic death shocked the world, the Los Angeles Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration have initiated a joint criminal investigation into the circumstances of his passing.

Matthew Perry died on October 28 at age 54 due to the acute effects of the anesthetic ketamine, as revealed by his autopsy. “At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression.”

The autopsy also noted drowning, coronary artery disease, and buprenorphine effects as contributing factors to his death, which was initially ruled an accident with no signs of foul play.

However, the LAPD and DEA are now investigating how Perry had such a high level of the drug in his system and in his possession.

According to the report, Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy, known to help with depression, anxiety, PTSD, drug and alcohol problems, chronic pain, and more. Nonetheless, the autopsy indicated that the ketamine present in his system was not from his last treatment session, which occurred about a week and a half before his death. It concluded that Perry's death resulted from an "unknown route of drug intake," with the main lethal effects being "cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression."