High levels of ketamine were found in the body of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. star Matthew Perry, who passed away in October 2023, a new documentary on the investigation into the late actor’s death has revealed.
Titled Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, the Peacock documentary carries interview videos with the law enforcement experts, who discuss the ongoing trial. Directed by Robert Palumbo and backed by ITN Productions, the documentary also features Morgan Fairchild, who played Chandler Bing’s mother on the show.
Martin Estrada, former United States Attorney for the State of California Central District who led the investigation into Perry’s death, claims in the video that Dr. Salvador Plasencia provided ketamine to Perry’s live-in assistant “who has no medical training whatsoever”.
“That live-in assistant is administering ketamine to a person whose risk factors are through the roof,” Estrada, who stepped down from the investigation in January 2024, added.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia was one of the five people who were charged in connection with the death of Matthew Perry.
Ketamine serves as an anesthetic medicine that induces unconsciousness and alleviates pain. Although it is safe when used in a controlled amount, the drug has potential risks, including life-threatening side effects, if they are taken uncontrollably.
The documentary also alleges that an unsealed indictment back in August 2024 suggested that Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s assistant, along with his acquaintance Erik Fleming, joined forces with doctors Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez to acquire large quantities of ketamine drugs for Perry.
“Dr Plasencia was very clear in text messages… that he saw this as an opportunity to make a lot of money in a short amount of time, and he allegedly did just that,” Estrada said in the documentary.
Jasveen Sangha is charged with the accusations of supplying drugs to Iwamasa for Perry.
Estrada said, “In the past, we used to call these things overdose deaths and do more blaming of the victim. We don't do that anymore. We blame the drug dealers, the drug sellers, for taking advantage of those addiction issues to cause death or serious injury, and that's why we bring these cases. The big takeaway from this case is that when people involved in reckless activity, whether that be drug dealing or other activity, cause the death of others, there needs to be accountability.”
Jasveen Sangha and Salvador Plasencia have entered not-guilty pleas and are scheduled to stand in the trial on March 4. However, Kenneth Iwamasa, Erik Fleming, and Dr. Mark Chavez have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.