Actress Hayden Panettiere died at age 36 following a suspected overdose at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday, August 16.
Her death occurred just three days after prosecutors raised allegations of ongoing drug use against her on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, during a court hearing in Los Angeles.
A hearing took place on August 13 after Hickerson filed a request on July 20 to expunge domestic violence convictions from his record, according to People magazine. Hickerson claimed that he had fulfilled the requirements of his probation, but prosecutors opposed the petition by citing continuous alleged drug use and two separate arrests in Los Angeles in 2025.
Neither Hickerson nor his attorney attended the court hearing last week. A judge denied Hickerson's petition to clear his record.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office stated following the hearing that Hickerson's request was opposed due to continued demonstrable drug use and his arrest last year. Hickerson had previously attempted to remove the convictions from his record in July 2025, which prosecutors also opposed.
Court Arguments Over Drug Use
During the August 13 hearing, prosecutors cited a media interview Hickerson gave to TMZ in May. Prosecutors stated that Hickerson appeared quite high and very clearly not sober during the appearance, according to People.
The D.A. told the court that Hickerson speaks for 15 minutes about the abuse that's been documented in his victim's best-selling book, and he makes several admissions about that, per TMZ. The D.A. added: "And more significantly to his request today, he is quite high on what appears to be a stimulant, notwithstanding his lawyer's representations that he is seeking expungement because he is now sober."
Daily Mail reached out to a representative for comment, while an attorney representing Hickerson declined to comment on the matter.
Past Convictions and Legal Record
Hickerson pleaded no contest in 2021 to two felony counts of injuring Panettiere. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail and four years' probation, plus $500 in fines and mandatory domestic violence classes.
In August 2025, Hickerson was arrested at Barney's Beanery, a bar in West Hollywood. He was not prosecuted for that incident due to insufficient evidence at the time.
Later that same month, Hickerson was arrested again and charged with a misdemeanor count of being under the influence of a controlled substance, per People. In January of this year, Hickerson submitted proof that he completed 10 Narcotics Anonymous sessions, leading to the dismissal of the misdemeanor charge.
Final Hours in South Carolina
Panettiere and Hickerson flew from Los Angeles to South Carolina one day before her death. Public records show Hickerson is originally from Greenville, though the exact purpose of their trip was unclear.
Hickerson's brother, Zach Hickerson, broke his silence regarding the star's final moments in a statement to TMZ to clarify his involvement. Zach stated that he, Brian, and Panettiere had planned to get lunch and go indoor golfing after he attended a Sunday church service.
Zach recalled texting and calling Panettiere and his brother as he left church, but received no response. Assuming they were sleeping, he drove to the rental unit in Greenville but could not enter because he lacked the door code.
Zach knocked loudly on the door, waking Brian from a nap on a pull-out couch bed in the living room. When the brothers went inside to wake Panettiere for lunch, they realized she was unconscious.
Zach immediately dialed 911 while Brian administered Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. "I immediately called 911 and Brian gave her Narcan. We then jointly performed CPR while 911 was on speaker until Fire and EMS arrived," Zach said.
Zach added that they watched emergency workers try every measure possible to save her life. He expressed that he was beyond heartbroken and devastated by her passing, describing Panettiere as one of his dearest and closest friends over the past eight years whom he loved and cared for deeply.
Zach urged an end to the assumptions, speculations and accusations surrounding her death, stating that the truth will come out after police complete their investigation.
Emergency Response and Investigation
A Greenville police officer who responded to the residence on Sunday afternoon encountered the brothers and observed paramedics performing CPR on the unresponsive actress. The officer noted in a police report that the patient did not seem to have any obvious physical reasons to be unresponsive. Emergency responders declared Panettiere dead at 2:31pm on Sunday.
On Monday, the Greenville County Sheriff's Office announced that a post-mortem examination was completed and revealed no signs of trauma on the body. Chief deputy coroner Shelton England told Daily Mail that further investigations will determine the cause of death and noted it was too early to discuss the drug overdose theory.
On Thursday, attorney Sloan Ellis of the Ellis Hinton law firm issued a statement on behalf of Hickerson. "Hayden's death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed," Ellis said. "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."
Tributes and Family Background
A representative for Panettiere confirmed her death in an earlier statement, sharing that her family will remember her as an "incredible light" who brought "immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her."
Details of her final hours emerged shortly after her ex-fiance, former boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, paid tribute on August 21, on what would have been her 37th birthday. Sharing a photograph of the actress, Klitschko wrote: "Today is Hayden's birthday. Instead of celebrating the way we had planned, today we celebrate her life, her spirit, and the love she brought into this world."
Klitschko added: "I want to thank all of Hayden's fans, friends, and everyone who has reached out for the incredible outpouring of love and support. At a time filled with so much sadness, your kindness has reminded me that there is still so much good in humanity. If you're reading this, I ask just one thing: Even if only for a moment, think about LOVE. Reach out to a friend. Forgive someone. Be kind. Love is a superpower. Use it. Happy Birthday, Hayden. You are loved, you are missed, and you will never be forgotten."
Panettiere and Klitschko share a daughter named Kaya. In 2018, when Kaya was three years old, Panettiere signed full custody over to Klitschko amid her battle with postpartum depression and addiction, after which Klitschko relocated their daughter to his native Ukraine.
