Hayden Panettiere’s former boyfriend Brian Hickerson was at her South Carolina apartment when she died at 36, according to a newly released police report.
Date: August 19,2026
Reported by: Hajira Irfan
Hayden Panettiere’s final hours are coming into sharper focus after a police report revealed that her former boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, was at the South Carolina apartment when the actress was found unresponsive.
Panettiere, who became widely known for Heroes and Nashville, died Sunday at the age of 36. Emergency responders were called to the Greenville apartment after receiving a report of an unresponsive woman. When they arrived, Panettiere was already in cardiac arrest.
Paramedics worked for an extended period to revive her, but their efforts were unsuccessful. She was pronounced dead at about 2:31 p.m. Sunday, according to the police report and other official accounts.
Brian Hickerson Was at the Scene
The police report says Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were both at the apartment while emergency crews were treating Panettiere.
An officer spoke with the brothers as paramedics continued their efforts. According to the report, Zach was visibly emotional while EMS workers tried to save the actress.
Brian reportedly did not show the same visible reaction until Panettiere was officially pronounced dead.
The details offer a glimpse into what happened inside thehave apartment, but they do not establish that Hickerson was responsible for Panettiere’s death. Authorities have not identified him as a suspect.
Police Were Shown a Bag of Medication
Another detail in the report concerns medication.
Hickerson showed an officer a bag containing medication that Panettiere had reportedly been taking, according to the police report. The specific medications were not publicly identified in the report.
That detail has attracted attention because reports have described an apparent overdose as part of the circumstances surrounding Panettiere’s death. However, an apparent overdose has not been confirmed as her official cause of death.
The investigation remains active, and toxicology and other testing are still relevant to determining exactly what happened.
Autopsy Did Not Find Trauma
A preliminary autopsy has ruled out one major possibility.
The examination found no signs of trauma that contributed to Panettiere’s death, according to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office. Authorities also said there were no indications of foul play or suspicious circumstances in the preliminary investigation. However, the official cause and manner of death remain pending.
That means there is still no confirmed medical explanation for why the 36-year-old actress went into cardiac arrest.
Her History With Hickerson Draws Attention
Hickerson’s presence has naturally received additional scrutiny because of his complicated history with Panettiere.
The two had an on-and-off relationship that previously involved domestic violence allegations. Hickerson was convicted in a domestic violence case involving Panettiere and had recently faced a legal setback when a judge rejected an effort to reduce or dismiss his previous felony charges.
Still, the existence of that history does not establish a connection to Panettiere’s death.
For now, authorities have not said that Hickerson caused or contributed to her death.
Wladimir Klitschko Pays Tribute
As questions surrounding Panettiere’s death continue, her former fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, has focused on remembering her as the mother of their daughter, Kaya.
Klitschko shared a tribute after Panettiere’s death, saying he would speak about her with respect and make sure their daughter remembers the person she was.
Panettiere’s death has shocked fans who watched her grow from a child actor into a familiar face on television and film.
For those close to her, the focus is now on mourning her loss. For investigators, however, one crucial question remains unanswered: what exactly caused Hayden Panettiere to die at just 36?
The preliminary autopsy found no fatal trauma, but the official cause and manner of death have yet to be determined.
