Hayden Panettiere died at age 36 in a Greenville, South Carolina apartment on Sunday, where her on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother were present when emergency responders arrived. An initial autopsy revealed no signs of trauma or foul play as local authorities continue investigating the cause of death.
Police Response at the Greenville Apartment
Emergency responders arrived at the Judson Mill Lofts apartment complex in Greenville on Sunday afternoon following a 911 call reporting a cardiac arrest.
The responding officer noted in the incident report that the patient did not seem to have any obvious physical reasons to be unresponsive. Emergency personnel continued resuscitation efforts for an extended period before declaring Panettiere dead at 2:31 p.m.
Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were inside the apartment when police arrived. According to the police report, Zach Hickerson told the responding officer that Panettiere was his brother’s girlfriend. CCTV footage captured the trio coming and going from the residence.
Autopsy Results and Ongoing Investigation
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office completed an autopsy on Monday. Officials announced that preliminary examination findings showed no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death. Police confirmed that the preliminary investigation indicated no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.
Investigators have not yet determined an official cause of death. The coroner’s office stated that final determinations remain pending toxicology and full autopsy results, a process that can take up to eight weeks.
During the emergency response, Brian Hickerson showed the responding officer a bag containing medications Panettiere had been taking. The police report includes redactions covering both the list of medications and the detailed conversations officers conducted with the Hickerson brothers at the scene.
Turbulent History and Recent Memoir
Panettiere’s romantic history with Brian Hickerson involved years of documented turbulence and legal proceedings. Hickerson was arrested in May 2019 following domestic violence allegations, pleaded no contest in April 2021 to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or partner, and served a jail sentence before beginning a four-year term of probation.
Panettiere wrote of Hickerson’s time behind bars, detailing her complex feelings in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, which was published in May. Just days before the police report’s release, a Los Angeles judge denied a request from Hickerson to reduce his felony convictions to misdemeanors.
“I wanted Brian to be in jail just long enough to scare him, but not long enough where’d he become a worse person. I needed him to admit his wrongs and change because of them, but I didn’t want to traumatize him in an irreversible way.”
Hayden Panettiere, This Is Me: A Reckoning
Tributes From Co-Stars and Family
Entertainment industry colleagues and family members shared grief and reflections following the news.
“She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives.”
Wladimir Klitschko, via Instagram
Lesley Vogel, Panettiere’s mother and former manager, also spoke publicly about her daughter’s struggles with the pressures of early fame and an industry that took a heavy toll.
Next Steps in the Investigation
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office and the Greenville City Police Department are maintaining parallel inquiries while awaiting laboratory and toxicology results from the completed autopsy. Authorities indicated that no further details will be released until the full investigative findings are finalized.
