EXCLUSIVE: No Friend of Matthew Perry's — Tragic Sitcom Star's Mom Blames Once-Trusted Pal for Her Son's Death
Matthew Perry's mom has blamed a once-trusted pal for her son's death and its aftermath.
June 9 2026, Published 7:00 a.m. ET
Troubled Matthew Perry depended on assistant Kenneth Iwamasa to keep him sober, but the late actor's still-grieving family claimed his confidant of 25 years ultimately delivered the fatal blow in a decades-long battle with drug and alcohol addiction, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Prosecutors found the fallen Friend star died of acute effects of ketamine, or an accidental overdose, after Iwamasa repeatedly injected him with the hallucinogenic anaesthetic in 2023.
Family Calls Caregiver's Betrayal Deadly
Matthew Perry's mother, Suzanne Morrison, said Kenneth Iwamasa betrayed the family's trust by failing in his role as the actor's companion and guardian.
Roughly a year later, the live-in helper pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death and on May 27, he was sentenced to 41 months in prison. He was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release and pay a $10,000 fine.
Perry's mother and sisters laid bare the devastating depths of Iwamasa's betrayal in a series of victim impact statements.
"Matthew trusted Kenny. We trusted Kenny," recalled mom Suzanne Morrison. "Kenny's most important job – by far – was to be my son's companion and guardian in his fight against addiction. His No. 1 responsibility – ensure that Matthew remained what he wanted to be: drug free."
Instead, she alleged he "killed" her eldest child, and made the suffering worse by pretending to be "the good guy who tried to save Matthew."
Family Says Betrayal Never Ended
Perry's sister, Madeline Morrison, criticized Kenneth Iwamasa for speaking at her brother's funeral despite later being held responsible in connection with the actor's death.
"He sent me songs, he drew a little map to help me find my way around the cemetery," recalled the 82-year-old matriarch. "If he saw a rainbow – one of Matthew's favorite things – he would call me."
Her daughter Madeline Morrison also remembers the convicted criminal clinging to their family following Perry's shocking passing at age 54.
"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," she blasted.
"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."
'My Son Paid The Price'
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Sister Caitlin Morrison said she still questions whether the ketamine dose that killed Perry was accidental.
And sister Caitlin Morrison questioned whether the star's death was unintentional at all, with the 43-year-old suggesting she'll "never know if the lethal dose of ketamine was only lethal by accident."
Iwamasa, who discovered Perry's dead body in a hot tub, "repeatedly volunteered his version of events without being asked, as if he were being interviewed rather than mourning a friend," added Madeline. "He was trying to distract us from the truth."
There's no denying the facts of the sad case any longer, though.
"We trusted a man without a conscience," slammed Suzanne. "And my son paid the price."
