Five people, including two doctors and an alleged “Ketamine Queen” from North Hollywood, have been charged in the tragic death of Matthew Perry. The Actor, known most famously for playing Chandler Bing on “Friends,” was found dead last October at the age of 54. His body was found in a jacuzzi at his Pacific Palisades home, and an autopsy revealed that Perry died from an “acute effects of ketamine” overdose, followed by drowning.
A Lethal Deception?
According to prosecutors, that vulnerability, that trust, was horribly manipulated by those he trusted most as a recovering addict. It was those individuals, he said, who provided him with the very drugs that killed him.
The charges focus on two doctors, Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez, who are accused of supplying Perry with ketamine in the weeks leading up to his death.
Prosecutors argue that Plasencia recognized a profit opportunity with Perry’s interest in the drug. In a September 2023 text message, Plasencia described Perry as a “moron” and told a friend that he wanted to be his “lone supplicant,” prosecutors allege.
It is also alleged that over the course of several weeks, Plasencia purchased ketamine from Chavez, who then resold the drug to Perry through his right-hand man and assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa.
According to court filings, Plasencia even injected Perry himself with ketamine several times, including once on Oct. 12 with a quantity so large it resulted in a bad reaction.
The other key player is Jasveen Sangha, whom authorities would later dub the “Ketamine Queen” of North Hollywood.
Sangha was running a drug distribution operation from her home, and prosecutors say she was the source for the ketamine that ultimately killed Perry.
Prosecutors also allege that Eric Fleming, another member of Perry’s inner circle, helped facilitate the purchase of ketamine from Sangha on Perry’s behalf.
Perry’s Final Hours
In the last weeks of his life, Perry was injected with ketamine multiple times by his assistant, Iwamasa, who did not have any professional medical training.
On the day that Perry died, Iwamasa allegedly administered two shots of ketamine—one just 40 minutes before Perry would ask him to prepare a jacuzzi, saying, “Shoot me up with a big one.”
Prosecutors said Fleming and Sangha tried to delete incriminating messages after Perry’s death, with Fleming expressing confidence that they were “90% sure everyone is protected” because he had only dealt with Perry’s assistant, whom he labeled “the enabler.”
Suspects Also File Pleas
The suspects have since entered various pleas : Plasencia has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine; Chavez has agreed to plead guilty to a charge of conspiracy; Sangha has pleaded not guilty to numerous drug-related charges against him, and Fleming and Iwamasa have both pleaded guilty to charges related to distributing ketamine.
Iwamasa also admitted to distributing ketamine attributed to the death of Perry.
Family’s Reaction
These charges brought some solace to the stepfather of Perry, Keith Morrison, and his family.
They said they remain heartbroken but added that the family was very grateful to the officials who have worked tirelessly on the case. “We were and still are heartbroken by Matthew’s death,” the statement said.
“But it has helped to know that law enforcement has taken his case very seriously. We look forward to justice taking its course and hope this sends a message to those who recklessly supply dangerous drugs.”
With this case continuing to unfold, what comes out of this is the devastating effect of addiction and the critical importance of protecting people at risk.
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