Shocking new details in Hayden Panettiere's sudden death

New details have emerged surrounding the sudden death of Heroes and Nashville star Hayden Panettiere, who died on Sunday, August 16 at the age of 36.

Police and emergency crews were called to an apartment at Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville, South Carolina, shortly before 2 p.m. after an acquaintance reported an unresponsive woman. Panettiere was found in cardiac arrest, and paramedics began advanced life-support measures. Despite their efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:32 p.m.

Both TMZ and People have reported that her death appears to have involved a possible overdose, although an official cause has not been confirmed. According to TMZ, first responders referred to an “overdose” while communicating with dispatch, and NARCAN was reportedly discovered on a mattress inside the apartment. The medication is commonly used to reverse an opioid overdose. However, two ambulances were sent to the residence, and it remains unclear whether the NARCAN had been used on Panettiere or someone else.

Epinephrine was also reportedly administered at the scene, which is commonly used while attempting to revive someone in cardiac arrest. An autopsy was completed on Monday, August 17, and found no signs of trauma that would have contributed to her death. Police have also said there is no indication of foul play or suspicious circumstances. Her cause and manner of death remain pending as investigators await the results of additional testing.

A law enforcement source told People that Panettiere's on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson was with her at the time of her death. It is not known whether he was the person who called 911. TMZ reported that Panettiere and Hickerson had flown from Los Angeles to South Carolina one day before she died.

The pair were first linked in 2018 and had a turbulent relationship involving several domestic violence cases. Hickerson was arrested on domestic violence charges in 2019 and again in 2020. He later pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a partner and was sentenced to jail, probation and domestic violence classes.

Following his 2020 arrest, Panettiere said she had chosen to speak publicly because she hoped her story would encourage other people in abusive relationships to seek help. She later revealed that she had reconnected with Hickerson as a friend, explaining that she was trying to live with forgiveness while making it clear that his past behavior was not acceptable.

The two sparked reconciliation rumors after they were photographed together at Los Angeles International Airport in March 2026. Panettiere was walking on crutches at the time. A source later told Page Six that some of her friends did not know Hickerson had returned to her life.

Panettiere had spoken openly about her past struggles with alcohol, opioid and prescription drug addiction. In her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, released in May, she wrote candidly about growing up in Hollywood, her mental health, abusive relationships and her efforts to become sober. She also revealed that a doctor once warned her she could be dead within five years if she continued drinking.

Her Sleepwalker co-star Justin Chatwin said Panettiere appeared to be struggling while they filmed the thriller in 2025. Chatwin, who has been sober for 15 years, said he sensed that she was lonely and dealing with difficulties that went beyond the movie. He added that Panettiere spoke honestly with him about addiction and trauma while they worked together.

The subject of Sleepwalker, which became Panettiere’s final movie, may also have been deeply personal. The film followed a woman dealing with the loss of her daughter and touched on domestic abuse. Chatwin said Panettiere mentioned that the material hit close to home, but he also remembered her as kind, open and authentic.

Panettiere, seen above at the Sharkwater Extinction premiere, began appearing in commercials when she was 11 months old and later landed roles on the soap operas One Life to Live and Guiding Light. After appearing in films such as Remember the Titans, Raising Helen and Racing Stripes, she became widely known for playing Claire Bennet on Heroes (2006 - 2010). She later starred as country singer Juliette Barnes on Nashville (2012 - 2018), earning two Golden Globe nominations and placing several songs on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Other credits include Scream 4, Scream VI and I Love You, Beth Cooper.

Panettiere was passionate about oceans and the creatures that inhabit them. Some of here best work was off screen as an activist. She was an Ambassador for sharks and actively supported friend, Rob Stewart and his mission to save sharks via his films Sharkwater, Revolution and Sharkwater Extinction. She bravely paddled through a blood stained cove in Taiji to protect pilot whales and that footage appeared in The Cove. Launching Save the Whales Again, she joined the Whaleman Foundation, working to protect dolphins and whales.

Her life away from the screen was marked by several painful experiences. Panettiere struggled with postpartum depression after welcoming her daughter, Kaya, with former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. She eventually agreed to have Kaya live full-time with her father while she sought treatment. Panettiere maintained that she never abandoned her daughter and said shortly before her death that they spoke regularly and remained deeply connected.

She also grieved the death of her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, who died from an enlarged heart in 2023 at the age of 28. She later described losing him as one of the most devastating experiences of her life.

Klitschko shared an emotional statement following Panettiere’s death, saying she remained an important part of his life as the mother of their daughter. He promised to make sure Kaya remembers who her mother was and asked the public to respect the family’s privacy.

Tributes have also poured in from Panettiere’s former co-stars. Connie Britton remembered her Nashville co-star as someone who shone brightly, while Viola Davis praised her talent and described her as an old soul with a deep heart. David Arquette, who appeared with Panettiere in Scream 4, remembered her as a brave and brilliant person.

Panettiere would have celebrated her 37th birthday on August 21. She is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, and her parents, Alan "Skip" Panettiere and Lesley Vogel. ~Chidera Arimah

Photo credits: 1. Sharkwater Extinction. Hayden Panettiere at the Los Angeles Sharkwater Extinction premiere in 2019.

2. Sharkwater Extinction. Hayden with brother Jansen, who tragically died in 2023, and mother Lesley.