Matthew Perry’s Cause of Death Requires Additional Investigation

 

We don’t yet know what caused the death of Matthew Perry, the 54-year-old actor best known for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends. Perry was found dead at his Los Angeles home Saturday. An autopsy has been conducted, but its conclusions have been “deferred” pending additional investigation, according to the online record of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. 

A spokesperson for the office confirmed to Deadline that the autopsy will remain inconclusive until the results of toxicology reports have been received. The Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division is investigating Perry’s death, but a law enforcement source told CNN that foul play is not suspected in this case. A law enforcement source for the outlet confirmed that examiners will use the toxicology reports to conclude if any foreign substances contributed to Perry’s death. Vanity Fair has reached out to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The LAPD released an official statement about Perry’s death over the weekend, noting that the actor was “discovered by a witness unresponsive in his Jacuzzi” on October 28, 2023, at around 4 p.m. “The Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to the scene and pronounced Perry deceased. Due to the celebrity status of Mr. Perry, detectives from Robbery-Homicide Division responded to the scene and conducted a preliminary investigation,” the statement read. “Although there were no obvious signs of trauma, the official cause of Perry’s death is pending the coroner’s investigation.”

In Perry’s 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, he wrote extensively about his struggles with drugs and alcohol, revealing in interviews that he’d spent around $9 million on recovery over the years, with his addiction leading to 14 separate surgeries. The toll Perry’s substance abuse took on his physical appearance also prevented him from rewatching Friends, the actor revealed during the book’s press tour.

Perry’s family said in a statement to People: “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him, and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”