Police launch criminal inquiry into the death of Friends star Matthew Perry

Police have launched a criminal inquiry into the death of Friends star Matthew Perry.

The star died in October last year after being found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home.

Two months after his passing in December, the LA County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Perry died of 'acute effects of ketamine', adding that the manner of the death was accidental.

The autopsy also listed 'drowning, coronary artery disease and the opioid buprenorphine' as contributors to his death.

Matthew Perry tragically died last year. (Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for GQ)

Now, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and The Drug Enforcement Adminstration (DEA) has confirmed that a joint criminal investigation is underway to look into how Perry obtained the drugs found in his system.

According to The Guardian, Perry was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy for anxiety and depression - which the actor spoke about in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing.

However, his last known infusion was a week and a half prior to his death, meaning that the drugs in his system weren't related to an infusion.

The contents from the infusion would also have been in his system for three to four hours, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

In a statement provided to press, the LAPD said: "Based on the medical examiner’s findings, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the United States Postal Inspection Service, has continued its investigation into the circumstances of Mr Perry’s death."

Police have launched a criminal inquiry into Perry's death. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

A police spokesperson added that detectives from robbery-homicide division were heading up the police inquiry, The Telegraph reports.

It is still unclear how far along the investigation is - which was first reported by TMZ. No arrests have been made in relation to the probe either.

UNILAD has reached out to the LAPD and DEA for further comment.

Perry achieved global fame with his role of Chandler Bing in Friends and he'd been very open about his struggle with addiction to alcohol and opioids, most prominently in his book.

And recently, his Friends co-star, Courteney Cox spoke about how Perry still ‘visits’ her.

"I’m so thankful I got to work so closely with him for so many years. He visits me a lot, if we believe in that," she told CBS' Sunday Morning programme.

She explained: "I talk to my mom, my dad, Matthew. I feel like there are a lot of people that, I think, guide us.

"I do sense — I sense Matthew’s around for sure."