Hayden Panettiere’s death scene has taken another troubling turn. The Heroes actress died Sunday after being found unresponsive at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina. She was only 36. Now, a newly released police report reveals her controversial longtime boyfriend Brian Hickerson was there as emergency workers desperately tried to save her.
Hickerson also reportedly showed officers a “bag of medication” Panettiere had been taking at the time of her death.
His brother Zach Hickerson was also at the apartment complex and was described in the report as “very emotional” while emergency personnel were “working on Hayden.” Brian reportedly did not become visibly emotional until Panettiere had been pronounced dead.
The new details have quickly drawn attention because of Hickerson’s turbulent history with Panettiere. However, authorities have not accused him of wrongdoing in connection with her death, and investigators have reported no evidence of foul play.
Hayden Panettiere’s Troubled Romance Draws Fresh Scrutiny
Panettiere and Hickerson began dating in 2018, but their relationship would eventually become surrounded by domestic violence allegations.
Hickerson was arrested multiple times and later pleaded no contest to felony charges stemming from incidents involving Panettiere. He served jail time and was ordered to complete domestic violence classes.
Despite their troubled past, the two apparently remained much closer than many people realized.
TMZ reported that Panettiere and Hickerson had quietly continued their romantic relationship while she promoted her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. Sources claimed she had been encouraged to publicly distance herself from him because of concerns about how the relationship could affect her career.
That history has made Hickerson’s presence at the South Carolina apartment particularly difficult for some people online to ignore.
“Investigate him,” one social media user demanded as details from the police report circulated.
Another reacted even more strongly.
“That man needs to be investigated,” they wrote.
“I think they need to investigate Brian Hickerson too,” a third person added.
The online reaction does not mean Hickerson is considered a suspect. Police have said their preliminary investigation found no suspicious circumstances surrounding Panettiere’s death.
Emergency personnel were called to the Greenville residence around 1:50 p.m. Sunday after Panettiere was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest. Despite lifesaving efforts, she was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m.
An autopsy found no signs of trauma that contributed to her death. Her official cause and manner of death remain undetermined as investigators await toxicology testing.
For now, the newly released police report has answered one question about
