The sudden death of actress Hayden Panettiere at age 36 has prompted a wide-ranging investigation, with federal authorities now assisting local officials. She was found unresponsive at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 16, 2026. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office confirmed she was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m. after emergency responders were unable to resuscitate her.
A significant development in the case is the involvement of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which has joined the investigation being led by the Greenville City Police Department and the Greenville County Coroner’s Office. Federal agents are assisting in the probe, which typically involves investigating how drugs were obtained by the deceased and whether any associates or medical professionals violated the law. While authorities have not confirmed if drugs were involved, dispatch audio from the emergency response referenced a possible overdose. Additionally, it was reported that Narcan was found at the apartment, though it is unclear if it was administered to Panettiere.
An autopsy completed on August 17 found no signs of trauma that would have contributed to her death. However, the official cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies, including toxicology tests that could take weeks. Her mother, Lesley Vogel, told NBC News that a narcotics investigator is involved in the case, which leads her to believe authorities still have questions about the circumstances.
The investigation has also focused on the actress’s troubled relationship with Brian Hickerson. Both Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were at the scene when Panettiere was found unresponsive. According to a police report, Zach was “very emotional” during resuscitation efforts, while Brian did not become emotional until after she was declared dead. Hickerson reportedly handed officers a bag of medication Panettiere had allegedly been taking.
Hickerson and Panettiere had a volatile relationship marked by domestic violence. He was arrested multiple times on domestic violence charges and pleaded no contest in 2021 to two felony charges for injuring her. Panettiere publicly spoke about the abuse in her memoir. Just days before her death, on August 13, Hickerson appeared in court to request his felony charges be reduced, but the request was denied.
Hickerson has broken his silence through his attorney, Sloan Ellis, stating: “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”. Neither Hickerson nor his brother have been named as suspects. Authorities have also conducted a welfare check at Hickerson’s family home, though they state it is unrelated to Panettiere’s death investigation .
@ddoeu3vts4 Hayden Panettiere found unresponsive in Greenville, SC Her death is being investigated. 💔 #haydenpanettiere #breakingnews #greenville #news #fyp
