Hayden Panettiere’s on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were inside the South Carolina apartment where the actress went into cardiac arrest and died on August 16, 2026. A heavily redacted police report obtained by multiple news outlets confirms the pair were present during her final hours. The 36-year-old Heroes and Nashville star was found unresponsive at the Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville, and emergency responders could not revive her.
According to the Greenville Police Department report, Zach Hickerson discovered Panettiere in a living room armchair around 1:30 p.m. and called 911. Brian Hickerson was reportedly asleep in another bedroom at the time. The 911 call came in at approximately 1:51 p.m. regarding a cardiac arrest. Paramedics performed advanced cardiac life support for an extended period, but Panettiere was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m..
Police Report Details Brian Hickerson’s Reaction at the Scene
The responding officer, identified as Matthew Bryan, noted a clear difference in how the two brothers reacted to the emergency. Zach Hickerson was described as “very emotional” while EMS teams worked on Panettiere. Brian Hickerson, however, did not show visible emotion until after medical personnel declared her dead.
“I observed Zach to be very emotional while EMS were working on Hayden. Brian did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased.”
The police report also states that Brian Hickerson showed officers a “bag of medication” that Panettiere had been taking around the time of her death. The specific medications have been redacted from public documents. The responding officer wore a body camera throughout the response, but that footage has not been released to the public.
What Happened in Hayden Panettiere’s Final Hours
Panettiere and Brian Hickerson had flown together from Los Angeles to Greenville, South Carolina, on Saturday, August 15, just one day before her death. They were seen at LAX before boarding the flight. Surveillance footage from the Judson Mill Lofts apartment complex captured Panettiere, Brian Hickerson, and Zach Hickerson coming and going from the property. Police are reviewing this footage to establish a timeline of her final hours.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office confirmed an autopsy was completed on August 17 and found no signs of trauma that would have contributed to her death. Toxicology testing is still pending, and the official cause of death has not been determined. Police have stated there are no signs of foul play. Dispatch audio from the 911 call mentioned both “overdose” and “cardiac arrest,” but an overdose has not been confirmed as the cause of death.
Hayden Panettiere’s Troubled History with Brian Hickerson
Hayden Panettiere and Brian Hickerson began dating in 2018, and their relationship was marked by multiple domestic violence incidents. In May 2019, police observed “redness and marks” on Panettiere’s body before arresting Hickerson on felony domestic violence charges. He was arrested again in 2020 after allegedly punching her in the face during a trip to Wyoming.
In 2021, Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend in cases involving Panettiere. He served 45 days in jail, received four years of probation, and was ordered to complete a 52-week batterer intervention program. Panettiere filed for a restraining order against him in July 2020.
In her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, published three months before her death, Panettiere detailed the abuse she suffered. She wrote that Hickerson once beat her so severely that she stayed home for weeks to hide her injuries. She described the relationship as “brutal,” “traumatic,” and “emotional”.
Despite the past violence, Panettiere and Hickerson had reconnected in recent years. In 2022, Panettiere told People magazine they had reconnected as friends. She said, “He’s gone to treatment and done his time. And I’m trying to live in a place of forgiveness.” They were seen together at LAX in March 2026, though her representative said they were friends, not romantically involved. Hickerson had spoken publicly about the abuse, saying, “I got arrested for abusing her… You never lay hands on a woman. Bottom line.”
Hayden Panettiere’s Mother Speaks Out About Brian Hickerson
Lesley Vogel, Panettiere’s mother, spoke publicly for the first time after her daughter’s death, expressing deep concern about Hickerson’s presence in her life. Vogel told NBC News that her family had been trying to distance Hickerson from Panettiere for years.
“This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death and that was Brian Hickerson.”
Vogel said the family’s concerns about Hickerson predated Panettiere’s death by several years. She added, “There is a lot of history in the past that Brian has enabled Hayden many times and this is why her father and I had been concerned for a long time about him and frankly, his family.” Vogel said she was not launching a private investigation but planned to speak with detectives before drawing any conclusions.
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Investigation Ongoing as Toxicology Results Pending
Authorities have not yet determined the official cause of Panettiere’s death. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office is awaiting toxicology results, which could take several weeks. Police have confirmed that no one has been charged with a crime in connection with her death.
The police report confirms that Brian Hickerson was present but does not state that he caused her death. The investigation remains active, and authorities are continuing to gather evidence, including reviewing CCTV footage and witness statements.
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