The investigation into Hayden Panettiere’s death continues as new details emerge about her final hours, including who was with her in her South Carolina apartment and the first statement from boyfriend Brian Hickerson after her death.
Boyfriend Brian Hickerson broke his silence
Hayden Panettiere’s 37-year-old boyfriend is speaking out for the first time since her death. Brian Hickerson’s attorney, Sloan Ellis, released a statement on his behalf to TMZ on Thursday, August 20, four days after the “Nashville” alumnus died at the age of 36.
“There is an ongoing investigation into Hayden’s death and it is important to allow that investigation to move forward,” Ellis said. “As publicly reported, police have confirmed there were no indications of foul play.”
The statement concluded, “Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, no further comment will be made at this time.”
who were with him at the time of his death
On August 16, Greenville, South Carolina police responded to an unresponsive female at an apartment complex where Panettiere was living with Hickerson and her brother, Zach Hickerson. According to a police report obtained by USA TODAY, both men were the ones to call 911.
A Greenville police officer arrived at the residence Sunday afternoon and met the brothers and then saw paramedics performing CPR on the unresponsive woman, the report said. “There was no apparent physical reason for the patient to be unresponsive,” the officer said. After life-saving measures failed, emergency workers pronounced Panettiere dead at 2:31 p.m. The autopsy found no signs of trauma, and police said officers saw no signs of foul play.
A 911 call released by Reuters, TMZ and other outlets revealed that the former child actor, known for roles on “Nashville,” “Heroes,” “Ice Princess” and “Bring It On,” was in cardiac arrest after a possible overdose.
The heavily redacted police report states that the responding officer first spoke to Zack Hickerson, who identified Panettiere as “his brother’s girlfriend.” “I saw Zach become very emotional as EMS worked on Hayden. Brian did not become emotional until EMS officially pronounced him dead,” the officer wrote.
After Panettiere was pronounced dead, the officer escorted the brothers out of the apartment. The officer then spoke to Bryan “in more depth”, but details of that conversation were omitted from the report.
The report also states that Bryan showed police “a bag of medication” that Panettiere was allegedly taking at the time. The list of medicines was also revised.
Also read: Hayden Panettiere’s death: Any signs of foul play? 5 things to know after the initial report
Panettiere and Hickerson’s complicated relationship
Panettiere and Hickerson dated on and off since 2018. Their relationship was troubled for several years with alleged physical abuse and several domestic violence arrests.
In 2020, Hickerson faced multiple gross misdemeanor charges and later pleaded no contest to two counts of injuring a spouse or partner. In 2021, he was sentenced to 45 days in jail, four years of probation, and 52 counts of domestic violence. He was also ordered to attend anger management and Alcoholics Anonymous sessions.
He met those requirements and recently asked a judge to reduce his sentence for misdemeanors. A Los Angeles judge denied the request on Thursday. The pair also sparked reconciliation rumors after they were photographed together earlier this year, according to USA Today.
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ex-fiance speaks
Earlier, Panettiere’s former fiance Wladimir Klitschko also spoke out about the sudden death of the actress. The Ukrainian boxer, who is also the father of her only child, shared an emotional statement on Instagram along with a photo of himself, Panettiere and their 11-year-old daughter Kaya.
“Our family is going through a period of deep shock and grief,” he wrote. “I am deeply saddened to announce Hayden’s tragic death. She left this world too soon. Hayden, although no longer my partner, was an important part of my life and was the mother of our daughter.”
They wrote, “He built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the dark sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing can erase the time we shared or his place in our lives.”