Hayden Panettiere was found deceased in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, last week. Her boyfriend was in the residence when police arrived, and their troubled past has been revealed. Now, the boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, has broken his silence.
Actress Hayden Panettiere’s passing sent shockwaves through Hollywood. The 36-year-old, known from the series Nashville and Heroes, was found unresponsive on Sunday in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina.
According to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office, there were no signs of trauma on her body. Her cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation. Later, the Drug Enforcement Administration also joined the case.
When police arrived at the apartment where Panettiere was found, her boyfriend, Bryan Hickerson, and his brother Zach were both there, a heavily redacted police report stated.
An officer reported that Zach identified the actor to authorities as “his brother’s girlfriend”. When emergency responders were unable to revive her, Hickerson reportedly became extremely emotional. The report also states that he showed officers a bag of medication that Panettiere had been taking before her death.
In a statement on August 17, coroner Mike Ellis said, “At autopsy, no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death. The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies. This investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details are available for release at this time.”
Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend breaks silence on her death
Neither Hickerson nor his brother has been named as a suspect or person of interest in the investigation.
Hickerson and Panettiere had a complicated relationship that began in 2018. He was arrested several times over allegations of domestic abuse and later pleaded no contest to two felony charges connected to an assault against Panettiere.
The actress also opened up about the abuse she experienced in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. Just last week, Hickerson asked a judge to reduce one of his felony charges to a misdemeanor. The request was denied.
For now, authorities continue to investigate what happened in the hours before Panettiere’s death, as fans and loved ones wait for more answers.
Now, Brian Hickerson has broken his silence over Hayden Panettiere’s death. His attorney, Sloan Ellis from the Ellis Hinton Law Firm, told TMZ, “Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed. As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play.”
It continued, “Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.”