Greenville County Coroner's Office says no toxicology results released in Hayden Panettiere death case
The coroner's office confirmed the investigation into actress Hayden Panettiere's August 16 death is ongoing and no toxicology findings have been released, while police report no foul play.
Greenville County, South Carolina – The Greenville County Coroner's Office said it has not yet released any toxicology results or cause of death for actress Hayden Panettiere, who died on Aug. 16, 2026 at an apartment in the Judson Mill Lofts complex. Chief Deputy Coroner Shelton England told media that a formal release will be issued once the findings are finalized.
Police responded to the scene after a 911 call reported an unresponsive woman. Emergency crews performed CPR before declaring death, and the incident report notes that no obvious physical cause for the unresponsiveness was observed. The report, which contains redacted sections, identified Panettiere's boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, as the complainant and indicated that investigators found no signs of foul play.
Separately, Greenville police detained several individuals following an assault at a local restaurant, including Zachary Hickerson, who was arrested for disorderly conduct after being found highly intoxicated. Brian Hickerson was released without charge.
Hickerson has retained the law firm Ellis Hinton, which issued a statement emphasizing that the death remains under investigation and that police have confirmed the absence of foul play. The firm declined further comment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration has also joined the investigation, according to other news outlets. A resident of the apartment building described hearing “a lot of commotion” in the hallway on the afternoon of the incident, but could not confirm details.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Panettiere's death, and the coroner's office will provide an official update when the toxicology report is completed.