Investigation into Hayden Panettiere’s Death

Federal authorities are investigating the sources of drugs and medications involved in the death of actress Hayden Panettiere. This investigation mirrors previous cases where similar probes led to charges against suppliers involved in the deaths of Matthew Perry and Mac Miller.

Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and local investigators have interviewed several individuals regarding the circumstances of Panettiere’s death on August 16. They are particularly focused on controlled substances and medications linked to her passing in a Greenville, S.C., apartment, according to sources familiar with the investigation. Paramedics and police found Panettiere in cardiac arrest, as confirmed by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.

Dispatch audio recordings referenced a possible overdose, with CPR in progress. Paramedics administered Narcan in an attempt to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at 2:31 p.m. This case is reminiscent of the deaths of Matthew Perry and Mac Miller, both of which involved drug overdoses. In Perry’s case, charges were brought against those who provided him with ketamine. Similarly, Miller’s case saw convictions for supplier involvement with cocaine and fentanyl-laced oxycodone pills.

The Greenville County coroner conducted an autopsy on Panettiere, but an official cause of death has not been determined as toxicology results are pending. Panettiere, who resided in Los Angeles, was in Greenville with her boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, a native of the area.

A police report described the initial response to the scene. It stated that Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were present when the 36-year-old actress died. Hickerson showed an officer a bag containing Panettiere’s medications. Portions of the report were redacted, including the brothers’ statements during their 911 call.

“Hayden’s death remains under investigation, and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,”

Sloan Ellis, a South Carolina attorney for Hickerson, stated.

There were no signs of foul play, as police have publicly confirmed. Authorities obtained video footage from the apartment complex’s security, providing insights that assisted in obtaining a search warrant.

Hickerson was previously arrested multiple times on suspicion of domestic violence against Panettiere. Starting in May 2019, charges were dismissed when prosecutors could not secure a material witness. However, an indictment in 2020 resulted in Hickerson pleading no contest to felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend in April 2021. He faced a 45-day jail sentence, four years of formal probation, mandatory domestic violence classes, and a five-year protective order.