Matthew Perry’s father writes emotional letter condemning doctor, revealing heartbreaking details prosecution didn’t share publicly

Matthew Perry’s father and family have penned powerful emotional letters condemning Dr. Salvador Plasencia, calling him “among the most culpable of all” in the actor’s fatal ketamine overdose. The devastating victim impact statements were submitted to court ahead of Plasencia’s December 3, 2025 sentencing. The letters reveal a family’s raw grief and demand for justice.

Perry’s Mother and Stepfather Keith Morrison Express Profound Grief

Suzanne Morrison and her husband Keith Morrison wrote a heart-wrenching victim impact letter describing the immeasurable pain of losing their son. They described trying desperately to keep Matthew alive through the years of his struggle with addiction.

“How do you measure grief?” the letter poignantly begins. “The bottom falling out? Yes, that. Here was a life so entwined with ours and held aloft sometimes with duct tape and bailing wire, with anything that might keep that big terrible thing from killing our first-born son, and our hearts with him.” The Morrisons called their ongoing pain “a deep well” with no bottom in sight.

The couple revealed that when they fell in love, Suzanne warned Keith no man could come between her and her son. Yet addiction—and the predatory behavior of trusted individuals—ultimately accomplished what no other force could. The letter blamed those who exploited Matthew’s vulnerability instead of supporting his recovery.

“Those Greedy Jackals” – Damning Accusations Against the Doctor

In perhaps the most searing passage, Suzanne and Keith Morrison described the moment they realized their years of effort had been undermined. “And then those greedy jackals come out of the dark, and all the effort is for naught; it all crashes down,” they wrote, referring directly to those supplying Matthew with lethal quantities of ketamine.

The Morrisons emphasized that no one could have been unaware of Matthew’s public struggles with addiction. Yet rather than maintaining ethical boundaries, Dr. Plasencia conspired to break his most important medical vows repeatedly, sneaking through the night to meet with Matthew in secret locations—including once outside the Long Beach Aquarium.

The letter then quoted the doctor’s own incriminating text messages. According to evidence, Plasencia texted a colleague asking “I wonder how much this moron will pay” before supplying Matthew with the drug. “For what, a few thousand dollars?” the Morrisons asked incredulously. “So he could feed on the vulnerability of our son…and crow, as he did so, with that revealing question?”

Key Details of Plasencia’s Crimes	Information
Time Period of Distribution	September 30 – October 12, 2023
Vials of Ketamine Distributed	20 vials of liquid ketamine to Perry and his assistant
Payment Received	$55,000 in cash from Matthew Perry
Profit Margin	Single vial charged at $2,000 (cost: approximately $12)
Pleaded Guilty To	Four counts of distribution of ketamine (July 2025)

Matthew Perry’s Father Demands Extended Sentence for Betrayal

John Perry and his wife Debby Perry wrote their own powerful victim impact statement, directly addressing the doctor. They called Matthew “a warm, loving man who was to be our rock as we aged. An uncle to our grandchildren and the mountain his siblings could turn to. Our next patriarch.”

John and Debby emphasized that Matthew’s recovery depended on Dr. Plasencia saying “NO”—the most basic ethical requirement of his profession. Instead, Plasencia chose profit and exploitation. “Your motives? I can’t imagine,” they wrote. “A doctor whose life is devoted to helping people? Whatever were you thinking?”

The father and stepmother posed difficult questions about the scope of Plasencia’s crimes: “How many more people have you harmed that we don’t know about?” They called on the court to impose a sentence extending “beyond the mandatory time,” seeking maximum accountability for the doctor’s betrayal of his oath.

“No one alive and in touch with the world at all could have been unaware of Matthew’s struggles. But this doctor conspired to break his most important vows, repeatedly, sneaked through the night to meet his victim in secret. For what, a few thousand dollars?”

— Suzanne and Keith Morrison, Matthew Perry’s parents

Matthew Perry’s Dream of a “Third Act” Destroyed

The Morrisons described how Matthew’s life and career had moved millions of people worldwide. Despite his decades-long battle with addiction, he remained committed to recovery and helping others facing similar struggles. “His story moved so many people,” they wrote in their victim impact letter. “And he wanted, needed, deserved…a third act.”

The family had been planning Matthew’s triumphant comeback. “It was…in the planning,” the letter stated with heartbreaking resignation. “And then, those jackals.” Matthew died on October 28, 2023, found floating face-down in his hot tub at his home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. An autopsy determined he died from the acute effects of ketamine.

The Morrisons emphasized that their grief reveals the human cost of this tragedy. It’s not merely about crime statistics or sentencing guidelines. It’s about a son, brother, uncle, and friend whose potential was cut short by a physician who violated every ethical principle of his profession for money.

What Happens Next in the Matthew Perry Ketamine Death Case?

Dr. Salvador Plasencia received 30 months in federal prison on December 3, 2025, becoming the first defendant sentenced in connection with Matthew Perry’s death. He had pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine, which carried a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison. His legal team had requested no prison time, arguing he had already lost his medical license and clinic.

However, four other defendants remain in the case pipeline. Perry’s live-in personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, who repeatedly injected Perry with ketamine despite having no medical training, has additional sentencing scheduled. Dr. Mark Chavez, another physician who supplied ketamine, is scheduled for sentencing on December 17, 2025. Local man Erik Fleming faces sentencing on January 7, while Iwamasa has his hearing set for January 14, 2025.

Jasveen Sangha, known as the “Ketamine Queen” by federal prosecutors and described as a major supplier, pleaded guilty on September 3, 2025, to five charges including distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury. She remains the most serious defendant and is scheduled for sentencing on December 10, 2025.

Sources

• People Magazine – Matthew Perry’s parents share emotional victim impact letters ahead of doctor’s sentencing
• Rolling Stone – Matthew Perry’s parents write emotional statements for doctor’s sentencing hearing
• US Department of Justice – Federal court documents regarding ketamine distribution charges