Investigation into the death of Matthew Perry: A complete timeline

Two months later Matthew Perry died in October 2023 at the age of 54. His death was ruled an accident. But this decision was far from the end of the story.

A December 2023 toxicology report concluded that Perry died from “the acute effects of ketamine.” The report noted that Perry had received regular ketamine infusions to treat depression and anxiety, but his last infusion occurred more than a week before his death. The discrepancy left room for questions about how and why Perry had ketamine in his system when he died.

In May 2024, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that it had opened an investigation into Perry’s death. Three months later, five people – Salvador Plasencia, Jasveen Sangha, Kenneth Iwamasa, Eric Fleming And Mark Chavez – faced various federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute ketamine with death.

Keep scrolling to see a full timeline of the investigation into Perry's death:

30 September 2023

According to court documents, the We weekly In August 2024, “after learning” that Perry “was interested in ketamine,” Plasencia allegedly contacted Chavez to purchase the drug “so he could sell the ketamine” to the actor. The documents also claimed Plasencia texted Chavez, “I wonder how much this idiot is going to pay for the substance.”

After Chavez sold licensed physician Plasencia “at least four vials of liquid ketamine, ketamine lozenges,” syringes and gloves, doctors alleged that Plasencia left the drug with Perry's former personal assistant, Iwamasa, and showed him how to inject ketamine so he could administer it to Perry.

October 2, 2023

Iwamasa sent Plasencia a text message asking him to purchase more vials of ketamine.

That same day, Plasencia texted Chavez asking for more ketamine to sell to Perry.

8 to 10 October 2024

Plasencia sold numerous vials of ketamine to Iwamasa and met with him and Perry at several locations, including in Long Beach, California, where Plasencia allegedly injected Perry with the substance while they were sitting in a car.

The documents also state that on October 10, Iwamasa contacted Fleming to purchase more vials of ketamine. Fleming then texted Sangha, also known as the “ketamine queen,” to obtain the drugs.

October 14, 2023

After delivering ketamine samples to Iwamasa and Perry at his apartment the day before, Fleming allegedly drove to Perry's house to get the money for the drugs. Fleming then drove to Sangha's “stash” and purchased 25 vials. According to the documents, he then drove back to Perry's house and delivered the drugs.

October 23, 2023

Iwamasa texted Fleming asking him to buy more ketamine. He allegedly asked in the text: “Can we do the same thing we did last time for the next two days?”

Fleming then traveled to Perry's house to collect cash from Iwamasa.

October 24, 2023

Fleming allegedly purchased another 25 vials of ketamine from Sangha and then drove back to Perry's house to deliver the drugs.

25 to 27 October

According to court documents, Iwamasa administered “at least” six ketamine injections to Perry on October 25, 26 and 27.

October 28, 2023

Perry was found unconscious in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home. He was pronounced dead later that day.

In documents submitted by UsIt was alleged that Iwamasa injected Perry with “multiple doses of ketamine obtained from Fleming and Sangha,” which “resulted in the death and serious bodily injury” of the late actor. Doctors also claimed that Plasencia provided the syringes.

On the same day, Sangha asked Fleming to “dissociate herself from the sale of ketamine to Perry” and, among other things, to delete all digital evidence on her cell phones.

October 30, 2023

Fleming reportedly sent Sangha a text message asking how long ketamine stays in a person's body, as Perry would undergo a “three-month toxicity screening.”

December 2023

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office released a toxicology report that concluded Perry died from “the acute effects of ketamine.” The actor's death was ruled an accident, with drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine (used to treat opioid use) listed as contributing factors.

June 2024

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that it has launched an investigation into Perry's death, focusing in particular on how Perry obtained the ketamine that was found in his system at the time of his death.

August 2024

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California announced in a press release that Salvador Plasenciaa licensed physician and Jasveen Sanghaalso known as “The Ketamine Queen,” an alleged drug trafficker, was arrested on August 15 in connection with Perry’s death. Both Plasencia and Sangha were charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine.

Sangha was also charged with maintaining drug premises, possession of methamphetamine with intent to resell, possession of ketamine with intent to resell and five counts of resale of ketamine; while Plasencia was additionally charged with seven counts of resale of ketamine and two counts of altering or falsifying documents or records in connection with the federal investigation.

The press release also named three other people who were separately charged in connection with Perry's death: Iwamasa, his acquaintance Fleming and Dr. Chavez, another doctor.

Fleming pleaded guilty on August 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, Fleming admitted in court documents that he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry.

Iwamasa pleaded guilty on August 7 to conspiracy to use ketamine to cause death. He also admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including on the day of his death. Chavez has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to use ketamine.

Attorney of the United States Martin Estrada said in a statement: “These defendants were more concerned with profiting from Mr. Perry than with caring about his well-being. Drug dealers who sell dangerous substances gamble with other people's lives out of greed. This case and our many other prosecutions of drug dealers who cause deaths send a clear message that we will hold drug dealers accountable for the deaths they cause.”