Summary

Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," died on Sunday, September 24, 2023, at the age of 36. The actress was found unresponsive in an apartment at the Judson Mill Lofts complex in Greenville, South Carolina, and first responders were unable to revive her. According to a heavily redacted police report, her former boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach were at the scene when emergency personnel arrived. The report notes that Zach was "very emotional" while EMS worked on Panettiere, while Brian did not become visibly upset until she was pronounced dead. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office confirmed that an autopsy revealed no signs of trauma that contributed to her death, and the cause and manner of death are still under investigation.

The tragedy has drawn attention to Panettiere’s personal struggles, including her history with alcohol addiction and depression, as well as her past relationship with Hickerson, who faced felony domestic violence charges. In her memoir "This Is Me: A Reckoning," published earlier this year, she detailed the abuse she allegedly suffered and her efforts to forgive him. Her mother, Lesley Vogel, criticized Hickerson for being with her at the time of her death, while her ex‑fiancé Wladimir Klitschko expressed deep grief, vowing to keep her memory alive for their daughter Kaya.