When Hayden Panettiere was found unresponsive in a South Carolina apartment on August 16, two men were there: her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach. They called 911.
According to a heavily redacted Greenville Police Department report released Tuesday, the brothers told responding officers they made the call. Zach Hickerson identified the 36-year-old actress as “his brother’s girlfriend.”
The police report reveals a stark emotional contrast. Zach was “very emotional” while paramedics worked on Panettiere. Brian, who had a history of domestic violence involving the actress, “did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased.”
The Complicated History
Brian Hickerson and Panettiere’s relationship was turbulent and marked by violence. In 2020, he was charged with multiple counts of injuring a spouse after incidents between 2019 and 2020. He pleaded no contest to two felony counts in 2021 and was sentenced to 45 days in jail and four years of probation.
Panettiere detailed the abuse in her memoir “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” describing one night he beat her so badly she did not leave her house for weeks.
Just three days before her death, a Los Angeles judge denied Hickerson’s request to have his felony convictions reduced to misdemeanors.
What Happened That Day
First responders received a 911 call at approximately 1:51 PM for a “reported cardiac arrest.” Dispatch audio referenced a possible “overdose.” Sources told TMZ that Narcan — used to reverse overdoses — was administered at the scene.
EMS performed advanced cardiac life support on Panettiere, who was found unresponsive in the Greenville apartment where she had been temporarily staying. She was pronounced dead at 2:32 PM.
An autopsy completed August 17 found “no signs of trauma” that would have contributed to her death. The cause and manner of death are pending further testing.
The Bag of Medication
The police report notes that Hickerson showed the responding officer a “bag of medication” Panettiere had been taking. The medication names were redacted.
The Bottom Line
Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach were with her when she died in a South Carolina apartment. Hickerson had a history of domestic violence involving Panettiere, and just days earlier, a judge denied his request to reduce his felony convictions. Panettiere was found in cardiac arrest and pronounced dead at 2:32 PM. Authorities say there were no signs of trauma, and the cause of death remains under investigation.
