Hayden Panettiere, who became a household name as a teenager for her role in Heroes and later starred in Nashville and multiple Scream films, has died at age 36. Panettiere was pronounced dead at a South Carolina apartment Sunday, August 16. A cause of death has not been revealed, but an autopsy showed no signs of trauma.
Toxicology reports are pending and could take up to 12 weeks, according to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office. A newly released incident report states that the 911 call was made by Brian Hickerson, 37, who is referred to as Panettiere’s boyfriend. He reportedly turned over a “bag of medication” belonging to Panettiere to the police, but the contents of that bag has so far been redacted.
His brother Zach Hickerson was also present on the scene. The Independent has approached police for further information. Now, police have reportedly begun probing whether there could be criminal conduct behind her death.
Officers with the Greenville Police Department were seen outside of a Hickerson family home Wednesday morning in photos first obtained by Page Six. The US Drug Enforcement Administration joined the investigation into Panettiere’s death on Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the case who spoke to the New York Times. Among her most memorable roles were Sheryl Yoast in the 2000 Denzel Washington-led film Remember the Titans, high school cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC’s sci-fi drama Heroes (2006-2010), and aspiring country singer Juliette Barnes on the hit TV series Nashville (2012-2018).
Her New York Times bestselling memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, was published in May this year, in which she looked back at her childhood in Hollywood and her experiences with addiction, postpartum depression, abusive relationships, and the loss of custody of her daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with former heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes, Nashville, and the Scream franchise, has died aged 36. She left this world far too soon.
Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives. Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon.
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