He never knew Matthew Perry, but prosecutors say the ketamine that killed him came from the actor’s dealer

(CNN) — When her brother died, Kimberly McLaury texted the person who she believes sold him the drug that killed him.

After receiving her brother’s phone back from police, McLaury found a text chat with the alleged dealer, indicating her brother paid for the ketamine through Venmo.

“After his death certificate came out, I texted back and said ‘just so you know the ketamine that you sold my brother was listed as his cause of death,’” she told CNN.

McLaury never heard back. “I just assumed that she didn’t care,” she said.

On Thursday, Jasveen Sangha, the alleged dealer, was one of five people charged in an 18-count indictment relating to the death of actor Matthew Perry. Authorities detailed a haunting connection between the world-famous actor and Cody McLaury, an aspiring personal trainer: Both died after using ketamine allegedly supplied by the same dealer, a woman whose street name was “the Ketamine Queen,” prosecutors said. 

While investigating Perry’s death, the US Attorney’s Office said they uncovered an underground network of doctors and drug suppliers they claim were responsible for distributing the ketamine, a potentially deadly controlled substance, that contributed to Perry’s death in October at age 54.

Sangha has pleaded not guilty to several drug-related charges, including one stemming from August of 2019, the year Cody McLaury died. She is not charged directly in his death.

CNN has reached out to her attorney for comment.

‘Feelings of vindication’

McLaury was living in Los Angeles when his fatal overdose occurred at age 33 —four years before Perry and hours after the US Attorney’s Office alleges Sangha sold him ketamine.

“He had very good and solid friendships in LA,” his sister said. “He loved living there. He was a very kind soul.”

Kimberly McLaury said her family began to suspect Cody’s death might be linked to Perry’s when investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department came to her home in Washington earlier this year.

Court documents state Sangha did a Google search after receiving the text from Kimberly McLaury, typing “can ketamine be listed as a cause of death[?]” 

Prosecutors cited that Google search to allege Sangha knew that “unsupervised and improper use of ketamine can be deadly,” they claimed in an indictment.

In Perry’s case, prosecutors also charged four others, including two doctors and a live-in personal assistant with supplying the drugs to Perry.

McLaury watched Thursday’s press conference about the indictments from her home state of Washington. “It’s brought up a lot of emotions. Some sadness but also feelings of vindication,” she said.

“I just assumed that she didn’t care, that she was an uncaring person and selling drugs is what she did. And she was just going to move on with her life,” McLaury said of Sangha.

Ketamine

The conversation about ketamine was amplified after Perry’s death, in large part because its uses are varied.

Ketamine is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as a short-acting anesthetic for humans and animals in medical settings, where it’s often administered through an IV. It is not approved for any mental health disorders but has become more commonly prescribed off-label for treatment of chronic pain, depression and anxiety.

A derivative of ketamine, esketamine, is approved for treatment-resistant depression in adults. The drug, Spravato, is delivered as a nasal spray.

As additional medical uses for the drug are being explored, some experts have raised concerns about potential abuse or dependence that can come with misuse.

Ketamine has long been used as a party drug, and a recent study showed the supply of illicit ketamine is increasing in the United States.

Using ketamine without medical supervision can lead to dangerous adverse events, including unconsciousness and dangerously slowed breathing.

Perry’s death was determined to be the result of the “acute effects of ketamine” and subsequent drowning, according to the medical examiner.

Perry was found floating face down in a stand-alone jacuzzi at his Pacific Palisades home on October 28, 2023. Authorities said at the time that no foul play was involved.

Cody McLaury’s death didn’t make headlines like Perry’s, and his sister said she “never thought anything would come of his death, but I’m glad he is included in this investigation.”

“I’m just happy that justice has been served and happy that after five years they investigated (my brother’s) death,” she said.

CNN’s Jamie Gumbrecht and Deidre McPhillips contributed to this report.

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