Matthew Perry's Family Talks Star's 'Painful' Death Inquiry (Exclusive)

For Matthew Perry's family, emotions have been heightened by a government investigation following his death last year.

Perry, who according to an autopsy died a year ago on October 28, 2023 as a result of acute complications from ketamine, was exploited by the defendants, said alleged US Attorney Martin Estrada. Five people have been charged in connection with his death.

Perry's stepfather Keith Morrison, who married Perry's mother Suzanne Morrison in 1981, tells PEOPLE in this week's issue that dealing with the information uncovered during the investigation has been “painful.”

“It’s infuriating,” Morrison, 77, said.

Although he can't say anything specific about the investigation, Keith believes his stepson's status as a public figure played a role in the charges brought against five people, including two people, the star's personal live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa Mark Chavez and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Jasveen Sangha, known as the “Ketamine Queen,” and an acquaintance, Erik Fleming, who coordinated the sale of ketamine between Sangha and the actor.

“All I can say is, I suspect that authorities and authorities have come together to investigate and bring charges against these people because Matthew is so famous or well known that word would get around,” he said Dateline Host says.

“People would know about this investigation, they would know about the allegations, and they would be made public and made clear to everyone who was in a position to make it possible: it's better not to do it. Because of the price, if you do that, it can actually be very high.

In a sit-down interview with Savannah Guthrie for Today On the Oct. 28 show, Perry's mother Suzanne said she was “thrilled” that there had been some accountability for the people involved in the ketamine Perry had in his body the day he died.

Keith also told Guthrie that he “hopes” the actor's death will serve as a warning to “people who are dedicated to supplying people with drugs that kill them.”

“It doesn’t matter what professional qualifications you have. You’re going to sink, baby,” he said.

Morrison tells PEOPLE that his stepson “somehow believed that this particular drug he was taking wasn't addictive, that it wasn't going to kill him. And of course he believed.”

“But he said to us – I think he said it publicly several times: 'If I die suddenly, you might be shocked, but you probably won't be surprised.'”

However, given his history of addiction, Morrison says her family – which includes his daughters Suzanne, Caitlin, Emily and Madeline – was always nervous about losing Perry.

“He had been around it many times over the years. I can't tell you how many times, but there were several times when the doctor came to us and said, 'He's not going to survive the night.' “I won't survive the week.” Or: “He's close to death, prepare for that possibility,” Morrison remembers.

“And so we had to keep upgrading ourselves for years, [of] the possibility that he would die. And it was only the heroic efforts of doctors that kept him alive a few times. And we were eternally grateful for that.”

Never miss a story again — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The investigation into the actor's death, launched by the California branch of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Los Angeles Police Department, is ongoing. As of August 15, three of the five defendants have pleaded guilty: Iwamasa, Dr. Chavez and Fleming.

After Chavez was indicted on August 30, his lawyer Matthew Binniger told reporters that he was “incredibly remorseful” and was “doing everything in his power to cooperate and assist in this situation.”

A trial against Sangha and Dr. Plasencia, who both pleaded not guilty.

For more on Matthew Perry, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on stands Friday.

In Keith's interview, he stated that Perry's “final wish” was to be remembered “for helping other people, more than his fame for that.” Friends.”

“Our life’s work now is to continue this wish,” says Keith.

The Matthew Perry Foundation of Canada, launched in October by Suzanne and her half-sister Caitlin, supports people in recovery. Canada is where Perry spent most of his childhood after Suzanne separated from Matthew's father, John Bennett Perry, when Matthew was one year old.

There's also a U.S.-based Matthew Perry Foundation, founded shortly after his death, that provides grants to grassroots organizations “that want to fill gaps in people's recovery journeys,” Doug Chapin, CEO and former manager of Matthew, tells PEOPLE .

Matthew wanted to make it clear to his fans that addiction “is not a moral failing,” says Keith. “It is a disease that affects large numbers of people, many more than ever before. And it is a real crisis for society as a whole. It needs to be addressed. That is why we are determined to do this.”

For more information and to donate, visit the Matthew Perry Foundation and the Matthew Perry Foundation of Canada.