Matthew Perry’s cause of death is still “deferred,” but a former medical examiner believes that the late actor’s toxicology report “should be finished” at this point.
Dr. Michael Baden, former chief medical examiner of New York City, noted in a new interview that although toxicology tests take time, a full report could already be complete due to information that has already been released.
“They’ve got pretty much 99% of what they’re going to get at this point as far as information goes, and they can release it now, or they can wait for a couple more weeks because they’re looking for some unknown drug,” Baden told Fox News Digital in an interview, published on Friday.
“They might be doing microscopic slides, but it’s now about almost two weeks, so the toxicology should be finished,” he continued.
The “Friends” star was found dead at age 54 at his California home on Oct. 28. He was unresponsive at the scene and found by a bystander submerged in his hot tub.
Although the identity of the person who made the 911 call has not been revealed, TMZ reports that it was Perry’s assistant. The bystander brought Perry’s “head above the water and gotten him to the edge” before first responders arrived.
Perry’s parents, Suzanne Perry and John Bennett Perry, and his stepdad, “Dateline” host Keith Morrison, were photographed at his residence shortly after news broke of his passing.
Authorities found prescription drugs at the home, but no foul play was suspected. Earlier this week, his official death certificate still noted that his cause of death was “deferred” as a coroner ordered more tests late last month — including for toxicology.
“I imagine what they’re doing right now is discussing the findings with the prosecutor and the family, and that in good time it will be when they should release the findings,” Baden explained to Fox News.
He previously noted: “Often [when there] is a great interest in a death, there’s delay to do a more extensive toxicology than normal.”
According to Baden, there can be other reasons why the toxicology results are still pending.
“If it’s a drug overdose, they oftentimes – that itself will delay it,” he told the outlet. “They’re making a decision, and it doesn’t sound that there’s any reason the prosecutors should be involved with this. There’s no foul play unless it’s an illegal drug, and they’re trying to find out, you know, how he got the drug.”
He added, “If there are illegal drugs, the police would be involved … how he got illegal drugs.”
Perry had recently said that he had been sober since 2021 after years of struggling with drug and alcohol abuse. His friend, model Athenna Crosby, 25, who was one of the last people to see him alive, insisted that he was “100 percent sober” at the time of his death.
Perry was buried in the Forest Lawn cemetery in Hollywood Hills last Friday.
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