Matthew Perry Told His Assistant To 'Shoot' Him Up With A 'Big' Dose of Ketamine Before His Death
By Favour Adegoke on August 17, 2024 at 1:00 PM EDT
Updated on August 17, 2024 at 1:03 PM EDT
Newly released documents have revealed Matthew Perry's last words to his live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa.
The late actor reportedly told Iwamasa to inject him with a huge dose of ketamine after already receiving two other doses earlier that day.
Kenneth Iwamasa, along with other co-conspirators involved in the supply of ketamine to Matthew Perry, have all been arrested and charged.
Matthew Perry's Chilling Last Words To His Assistant Reveals He Was Deeply Addicted To Ketamine
Perry's last words to his live-in assistant have shown how deep he was in his ketamine addiction before his death.
According to newly released documents obtained by Rolling Stone, the late actor asked Iwamasa to "prepare the jacuzzi" for him before further requesting that Iwamasa should "shoot" him up with "a big one."
It was mentioned that Iwamasa had previously administered two ketamine injections to Perry earlier that day. After the third injection, Iwamasa left to run some errands, only to return and find Perry unconscious and "face down" in the hot tub of his Los Angeles mansion.
As Perry's assistant, Iwamasa took on the role of often administering the injections of ketamine despite having no medical training or experience to do so.
Iwamasa is also said to have been the final person in the chain of individuals helping the late actor obtain ketamine.
He began sourcing the drug for Perry in September, which soon escalated into a near-daily routine. In the period leading up to Perry's death, Iwamasa reportedly spent at least $55,000 of the "Friends" star's money to acquire the drugs.
Who Were The Individuals Arrested In Connection With Matthew Perry's Death?
Earlier in the year, the Los Angeles Police Department closed a preliminary investigation into Perry's death, initially launched due to the actor's celebrity status.
However, with the release of the autopsy report, a new investigation was started by the LAPD in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
This week, authorities held a press conference to announce the arrest of five individuals, including Iwamasa, in connection with Perry's death.
The other individuals were Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez, who are doctors; Jasveen Sangha, a distributor; and Eric Fleming, a broker.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada led the conference and described the individuals as a "broad underground criminal network."
"These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves," he added per Rolling Stones. "In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his wellbeing."
Some Of The Arrested Individuals Have Pled Guilty
All of the arrested individuals have since been charged, and three have already pleaded guilty or agreed to do so.
Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, resulting in death, and Chavez has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and will be arraigned on August 30. Fleming pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of ketamine distribution, resulting in death.
However, Sangha and Plasencia, the lead defendants in the case, pleaded not guilty at their separate arraignments. They also face a greater number of charges than their co-conspirators.
During the arraignments, Plascencia was released on a $100,000 bond and allowed to continue practicing medicine under special conditions, including informing his patients about the charges he was facing. However, Sangha was denied bond and is currently being detained due to concerns about a possible flight risk over her dual U.S. and British citizenship.
Legal Expert Reveals The Late Actor's Supplier Could Get 'Life In Prison'
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani spoke on the incident, noting that Sangha, who has been described as the "Ketamine Queen," is likely to get a very harsh sentence due to the major role she played in the supply of ketamine to Matthew Perry.
"Jasveen Sangha was the source of the ketamine that killed Perry, and she could easily receive a potential life sentence over his death," the lawyer said in a statement shared with The Blast. "There will be a lot of pressure on lower-level defendants and witnesses to flip on the doctor who provided the Ketamine or anyone else who played a role in getting it to Perry unlawfully."
He continued, "Ketamine is a drug that should be administered via an IV under a doctor's supervision, it's not a drug that should be sent home with a patient. It's a Schedule III controlled substance. Some doctors believe ketamine infusions can treat anxiety and depression, but it's one of the most abused party drugs. Perry should not have been using ketamine in a hot tub outside of a therapeutic setting."
"This is a very high-profile case, and this is going to send a message to doctors as well as dealers who are profiting from distributing ketamine," Rahmani added.
Matthew Perry Became Hooked On Ketamine After It Was Prescribed For Therapeutic Purposes
Perry's autopsy revealed that he developed an addiction to ketamine despite initially using it for therapeutic reasons.
The actor's last known recommended ketamine use was a week before his death. However, high levels of ketamine were found in his blood at the time of his death.
According to the autopsy, the ketamine could not have come from the recommended dosage since the drug's half-life is typically under four hours. Additionally, the ketamine found in Perry was the likely cause of the actor losing his consciousness and then drowning.
The autopsy also revealed that Perry's coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine were other conditions that contributed to his death.