Matthew Perry’s death over the weekend shocked millions of fans. The Friends actor reportedly drowned in a hot tub, and while there are a lot of details that we still don’t have, there is no belief that there was any foul play in the death. This makes the fact that the Robbery Homicide division of the LAPD has been investigating the death potentially curious to observers, but it seems this is far from unusual.
Alongside a report from TMZ that Perry’s system was clear of fentanyl and meth (tests for other drugs will take more time), it’s noted that it’s standard practice for members of Robbery Homicide to take the lead on any high-profile cases because of that group’s experience and manpower.
The death of a famous actor certainly qualifies as high profile. There will be a lot of eyes on this case as it continues, as it could take months to get the final determination of some of the tests being run. So it makes a lot of sense that the LAPD would want their most experienced people on the case. If any of the toxicology tests were to reveal something illicit was in Perry’s system, then Robbery Homicide would continue to investigate, one assumes to clarify how the material got into his system.
A man dying in a hot tub by himself still qualifies as suspicious, as it seems there is little indication right now of what exactly happened. Bringing in the people who have experience with homicides may be able to rule out such a thing, if nothing else. At this point, even the belief that Perry’s cause of death was drowning is only a supposition, and a corner will have to make the final determination of what exactly happened here.
While Matthew Perry had a history of substance abuse, something he has been open and honest about in interviews and his recent memoir, there’s no obvious indication that drugs were involved in his death. Perry did have some prescription medication in his home, but there’s no evidence that they were being abused. There's also no indication that Perry may have had a relapse. And his friends seem to be universally believe that Perry had remained clean and was very happy that way.
Perry was in numerous great TV and film projects beyond an insanely popular sitcom. While he will always be known for Friends first, Matthew Perry did not want Friends to be his legacy. He wanted to be known for the people he tried to help. While even he knew that Friends would always top the list, people are remembering Matthew Perry the man as well as Matthew Perry the actor, so one hopes he would appreciate that.
