Hayden Panettiere’s Death: Police Report, Relationship History, and Ongoing Investigation

Hayden Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive in an apartment at the Judson Mill Lofts complex in Greenville, South Carolina, on a Sunday afternoon. A 911 call was placed around 1:50 p.m., and paramedics pronounced her dead at 2:32 p.m. The Greenville Police Department’s preliminary investigation found no evidence of foul play or suspicious circumstances, and the Greenville County Coroner’s Office reported no signs of trauma that could have contributed to her death. The police report notes that Brian Hickerson, 37, and his brother Zach were present; Zach was described as “very emotional” while paramedics worked, and Brian became visibly emotional only after the declaration of death.

New York Times

Panettiere’s memoir, released a few months before her death, described an abusive on-and-off relationship with Brian Hickerson. She recounted that he once beat her so severely she stayed inside for weeks. The relationship reportedly ended in 2020 after domestic-violence allegations. Hickerson had been arrested in May 2019 on an allegation of injuring a spouse or girlfriend, pleaded no contest in April 2021, and received a four-year probation sentence. A photograph from March 8, 2023, shows Panettiere and Hickerson together at a celebration of life for her late brother Jansen Panettiere in Palisades, New York.

A Police Report Says Brian Hickerson Didn’t Get Emotional Until EMS Declared Hayden Panettiere Dead New York Times

During the interview, Hickerson handed officers a bag containing Panettiere’s medications, though many details in the report remain redacted. The police officer noted that he wore a body-camera during the response, but the footage has not been released. The coroner’s office has listed the cause of death as pending further investigation following an autopsy that found no trauma.

New York Times

• Early afternoon: 911 call reports cardiac arrest at the Greenville apartment.

New York Times

• Paramedics arrive, attempt resuscitation, and later pronounce death.

New York Times

• Police interview Hickerson and his brother; emotional reactions are recorded.

New York Times

• Police and coroner release preliminary findings, emphasizing lack of foul play.

New York Times

The investigation remains open, with authorities awaiting additional forensic analysis to determine the precise cause of Panettiere’s death.

A Police Report Says Brian Hickerson Didn’t Get Emotional Until EMS Declared Hayden Panettiere Dead