Hayden Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson was present at her South Carolina apartment when she died over the weekend, according to a police report released Tuesday. The police report, heavily redacted, does not reveal any cause of death and no foul play is suspected. Hayden Panettiere, 36, had been in a tumultuous relationship with Hickerson, who has a history of alleged physical abuse against her. An autopsy found no signs of trauma and an investigation into her death remains ongoing.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Hayden Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend was with the actor when she died: police report
Heavily redacted report does not reveal any cause of death
Hayden Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were at the South Carolina apartment where the actress died over the weekend, according to a police report released Tuesday.
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actress → die → report
A Greenville police officer who responded to the residence Sunday afternoon was met by the brothers and then observed paramedics performing CPR on an unresponsive woman, the report states.
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report → respond → woman
"The patient did not seem to have any obvious physical reasons to be unresponsive," the officer notes.
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officer → seem → reasons
After attempting lifesaving measures, the emergency workers declared Panettiere dead at 2:31 p.m.
No cause has been determined and her death remains under investigation.
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death → attempt → investigation
An autopsy found no signs of trauma and police said officers saw no signs of foul play.
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officers → find → play
Panettiere and Brian Hickerson had been in a tumultuous relationship for years, with allegations the 37-year-old aspiring actor physically abused her.
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actor → aspire → her
He was charged in 2020 with multiple counts of felony abuse and he pleaded no contest to two counts of injuring a spouse or partner and served a short time in jail due to the case.
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he → charge → case
He was sentenced to four years of probation and anger management and Alcoholics Anonymous sessions.
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He → sentence → probation
He completed the terms and recently asked a judge to reduce his conviction to misdemeanors; that request was denied Thursday by a Los Angeles judge.
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request → complete → judge
Report heavily redacted
The police report, which is heavily redacted, said the responding officer first spoke with Zach Hickerson, who said the unresponsive woman was his brother's girlfriend.
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woman → redact → Hickerson
"I observed Zach to be very emotional while EMS were working on Hayden.
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EMS → observe → Hayden
Brian did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased," the officer said.
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officer → become → ?
After she was declared dead, the officer escorted the brothers out of the apartment.
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officer → declare → apartment
The officer spoke with Brian "more in depth," but the details of that conversation are redacted in the police report.
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details → speak → report
Also redacted is a list that of medications that Panettiere had been taking.
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Panettiere → redact → that
Ex-fiancé speaks out
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fiancé → speak → ?
Earlier, Panettiere's ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko spoke out about the actress's sudden death.
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fiancé → speak → death
The Ukrainian boxer — who is also the father of her only child — shared a heartfelt statement.
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who → share → statement
"Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief," he wrote on his Instagram, alongside a photo of himself, Panettiere and their daughter Kaya, 11.
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he → go → himself
"The announcement of Hayden's tragic death saddens me deeply.
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announcement → sadden → me
She left this world far too soon.
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She → leave → world
The late actress and Klitschko welcomed Kaya in December 2014.
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actress → welcome → December
After they ended their relationship in 2018, Panettiere gave Klitschko full custody of their daughter, as she struggled with addiction and postpartum depression.
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she → end → addiction
"She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry.
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She → build → industry
Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives," he wrote, promising their daughter that he'd always speak of her mother with respect.
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he → erase → respect
"I ask everyone to please respect our family's feelings and privacy during this incredibly difficult time.
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I → ask → time
For now, this is all I wish to say."
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I → wish → ?
Recently released memoir
The actress, who would have turned 37 on Friday, had been open about her private struggles and wrote at length about them in her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, which came out in May.
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which → release → May
In it, she opened up about troubles with early fame, addiction and postpartum depression.
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she → open → fame
In an interview with podcaster Jay Shetty earlier this year, Panettiere talked about the custody arrangement for her daughter, who lives full time with Klitschko in Ukraine.
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who → talk → Ukraine
"I think there's been this very common misconception that I just gave up my child," she said.
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she → think → child
Hayden Panettiere, troubled star of Heroes and Nashville, remembered as 'brave and brilliant soul'
- Video
Heroes, Nashville star Hayden Panettiere dead at 36
'Absolutely heartbroken'
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Panettiere → remember → 36
Tributes continue to pour in for the late actor.
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Tributes → continue → actor
"I have no words for this sad song.
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I → have → song
Just heartbreak," Nashville co-star Connie Britton wrote on Instagram.
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Britton → write → Instagram
"I love you, girl.
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I → love → you
Her Heroes co-star Masi Oka also shared a message on X sharing he was "absolutely heartbroken."
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he → share → X
"I had the privilege of working closely with her, and I'll always remember her for her beautiful spirit, immense talent and the joyful energy she brought to everything she did and the people around her."
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she → have → her
In a statement to CBC News, Heroes creator Tim Kring said, "Hayden was an extraordinary talent.
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Hayden → say → News
You dream of writing for an actress like her."
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You → dream → her
…and 1 more, not listed.
