Actress Hayden Panettiere Found Dead in South Carolina Apartment After Cardiac Arrest

Hayden Panettiere, 36, was pronounced dead at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, after emergency responders found her in cardiac arrest on Sunday afternoon. Police said the 911 call was placed by two men identified as Brian and Zach Hickerson, who told officers the woman was a girlfriend of one of them. Medics attempted resuscitation but were unable to revive her, and she was declared dead at the scene at 2:32 p.m.

The Greenville County coroner’s office confirmed that Panettiere, a California resident, was temporarily staying at the Judson Mill Lofts apartment complex. First responders noted a possible overdose in the dispatch audio, though officials have not confirmed any substance involvement. An autopsy performed the following day found no signs of trauma, and the cause and manner of death remain pending further toxicology testing, which can take several weeks.

Police reports indicate that Brian Hickerson presented a bag of medication to investigators, but details of the contents have been redacted. The Hickerson brothers have not provided public comment.

In a memoir released earlier this year, Panettiere described a past relationship marked by domestic violence involving a man she referred to as “Brian.” Court records show a Brian Hickerson was convicted in 2019 of felony assault related to a domestic incident and sentenced to probation. The man later acknowledged in a media interview that he had been physically abusive toward Panettiere.

Authorities have not linked the domestic-violence allegations to the current investigation, and the investigation remains ongoing.