It has been almost a month since actress Hayden Panettiere (New York), 36, was found dead in the city of Greenville, South Carolina. In that same apartment was her ex-partner, Brian Hickerson (37, South Carolina), who in the past was accused of eight domestic violence-related crimes by several women, including the actress from Heroes (2006). The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which joined the investigation into her death a few days later, has now contacted Hickerson, according to the media outlet TMZ this Thursday, September 10.
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So far, no trauma, signs of criminal activity, or suspicious circumstances have been found in the actress’s death, according to the investigating judge. However, toxicology reports have not yet been released. The results could provide relevant information to clarify the circumstances of Hayden’s death. According to the police report, Hickerson showed agents a bag with the medications the actress was taking, including one used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
The actress from Nashville (2012) and Scream (2011) was found dead on August 16 after 911 received an emergency call. It was 1:50 p.m. when an “unconscious woman” was reported, later identified as Panettiere. According to a police report obtained by People, Hickerson and his brother Zach were at the scene when emergency services arrived. The officer who responded to the residence, Matthew Bryan, wrote in the report that Zach was “very upset,” while Hickerson showed no signs of emotion until Panettiere’s death was confirmed. The officer noted that Zach referred to Panettiere as his brother’s “girlfriend.”
Panettiere and Hickerson’s relationship dates back to 2018. During their relationship, the aspiring actor was arrested multiple times and charged with domestic violence in 2019 and 2020. “I have decided to tell the truth about what happened to me in the hope that my story will help others in abusive relationships seek the help they need and deserve,” the actress said at the time. “I am willing to do my part so this man does not hurt anyone else.”
In 2021, Hickerson neither admitted nor denied responsibility for two felony charges of injuring his partner, related to his 2020 arrest. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail, four years of probation, 52 domestic violence classes, $500 in restitution, and a five-year protection order. He served 13 days in prison. The other charges were dropped, and the 2019 case was dismissed.
Sloan Ellis, Hickerson’s lawyer, declined to comment after it was revealed that his client had been interviewed by the DEA. “Hayden’s death remains under investigation, and it is important to allow this to continue. As has been publicly reported, the police confirmed there were no signs of criminal violence. Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comments at this time,” he said in a statement sent to People.
In a recent interview with NBC News, Panettiere’s mother said Hickerson was one of those people she “wanted to forget a long time ago.” A neighbor of the actress, Mia Terrazzas, recalled calling 911 at least half a dozen times to report episodes of violence at Panettiere’s home, according to Inside Edition. “This predator was in our community. He never stopped living in his house. There were times he destroyed her bathroom and, without warning, started hitting with a sledgehammer at five in the morning,” she recounted.
On July 20, Hickerson filed a petition to have his criminal record expunged. However, at a hearing held on August 13, three days before Panettiere’s death, prosecutors opposed his petition and alleged he had “continued drug use.” Neither Hickerson nor his lawyer attended that hearing.
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In a 2022 interview with People , Panettiere, mother of an 11-year-old girl, described her relationship with her ex-partner as “a very dark and complicated period” of her life, while facing addiction to alcohol and opioids as well as postpartum depression. That stage of her life is documented in her biography This Is Me: A Reckoning, published last May. “It’s a very shameful subject,” she reflected in her book. “I have always considered myself a strong and resilient woman. The idea that I could allow something like this stunned me. Those who knew me best were also stunned. I tried to keep it secret, as much as possible, because I didn’t want to involve anyone I loved. I already knew they wanted to protect me, and I wanted to protect them, both physically and emotionally. It was humiliating,” she wrote.
The investigation into Panettiere’s death remains open, and Hickerson has not yet been charged or accused of any crime related to the death. Authorities are now investigating a possible drug dealer who may have sold substances to Panettiere before her death, according to People.
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