Report Says Hayden Panettiere's Security Was Told to Exclude Boyfriend During Book Tour
A New York Times report indicates that Hayden Panettiere's private security received instructions to keep boyfriend Brian Hickerson away while she promoted her memoir, weeks before her death in South Carolina.
Hayden Panettiere died on Aug. 16 in South Carolina at age 36. According to a report cited by The New York Times, her private security team was instructed to keep her on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson away during the promotional tour for her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. The first stop of the tour, a Barnes & Noble store in Union Square, New York, was also told not to admit Hickerson.
Police records obtained by PEOPLE show that Hickerson and his brother Zach were present with Panettiere at the time of her death. Hickerson presented a bag of medication she was taking, while Zach appeared emotional as first responders arrived.
Hickerson’s attorney, Sloan Ellis, released a statement on Aug. 20 saying the death is under investigation, that police have found no signs of foul play, and that no further comment will be made out of respect for the family.
Panettiere had previously described her relationship with Hickerson as tumultuous, citing multiple domestic-violence arrests and describing the period as “a very dark and complicated time” in a 2022 interview. She had also said in 2020 that she hoped her story would help others in abusive relationships.
"Hayden's death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed. As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden's loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time," said attorney Sloan Ellis.
No additional comment was provided by Hickerson’s legal representative when contacted.