What did Matthew Perry's sister reveal about his death in 2023? Family speaks out ahead of assistant's sentencing

2017 Winter TCA Tour - Day 9 - Source: Getty
2017 Winter TCA Tour - Day 9 - Source: Getty

Family members of Matthew Perry are speaking out in powerful victim impact statements ahead of sentencing tied to the criminal case surrounding his 2023 death.

The Friends icon passed away at the age of 54 due to an acute reaction to ketamine.

Later, the state prosecutors accused Kenny Iwamasa, his personal assistant, of injecting him with ketamine without any medical knowledge and even administering the drug several times to Matthew Perry on the day he died.

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GQ Men of the Year Party 2022 at The West Hollywood EDITION - Arrivals - Source: Getty

In legal documents filed on May 20th, the sister of Matthew Perry stated her emotional condition following the revelation of the last moments of his life.

Madeline addressed her emotions in writing towards US District Judge Sherilyn Garnett regarding her late brother.

"It is difficult to put into words the sense of betrayal I felt when I found out what Kenny had done. In many ways, it felt like my brother died all over again. Everything I believed about the day he died—everything Kenny told us—was a lie."

She went on:

"The idea that someone my brother considered family could betray him in such an unimaginable way is something I never could have conceived."

More on Matthew Perry's sister's heartfelt statement

The 17 Again star's sister continued, alleging that accounts provided to the family initially did not match the government's findings, deepening their distress as the case progressed.

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9th Annual Dinner Benefiting The Lili Claire Foundation - Arrivals - Source: Getty
"A few days after Matthew died, my sister and I went to choose clothes for him to be buried in—one of the most surreal and heartbreaking experiences of my life. I remember how manic and unsettled Kenny seemed. He repeatedly volunteered his version of events without being asked, as if he were being interviewed rather than mourning a friend."

She added:

"In reality, he was trying to distract us from the truth: that he had injected my brother with a lethal dose of ketamine and left him in a hot tub to die."

Further, Madeline expressed her feelings on Iwamasa's attendance at Matthew Perry's funeral, calling the situation a "cruel joke."

"Kenny even spoke at Matthew's funeral. The person responsible for my brother's death stood up and addressed the people who loved him most. That is like a cruel joke I still struggle with. He didn't just take my brother's life—he tainted our final memories of saying goodbye."
Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles - December 3, 2025 - Source: Getty
Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles - December 3, 2025 - Source: Getty

Meanwhile, Matthew Perry's mother, Suzanne Morrison, also shared more details about her feelings regarding Iwamasa in her own pensive missive on May 21.

"Kenny's most important job, by far, was to be my son's companion and guardian in his fight against addiction. His number-one responsibility: ensure that Matthew remained what he wanted to be: drug-free. And when he had killed my son, he kept a sharp eye on me."

The sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday as part of ongoing proceedings involving multiple individuals charged in connection with Matthew Perry's death.

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Edited by Gladys Altamarino