New details emerge from the day Hayden Panettiere died in South Carolina

Hayden Panettiere Found Dead at Greenville Apartment; Cause of Death Still Undetermined

Sandego.net – The actress who became a household name as a nearly invincible cheerleader on “Heroes” and later as a struggling country singer on “Nashville” was pronounced dead at the scene of a South Carolina apartment complex on Sunday afternoon. Hayden Panettiere, 36, was discovered in cardiac arrest inside a unit where she had been staying temporarily in Greenville. A coroner’s office confirmed the finding Monday and noted that no official cause or manner of death has yet been released while additional laboratory testing remains pending.

The 911 Call and Police Response

A police report made public Tuesday details how two men — Brian Hickerson, Panettiere’s boyfriend, and his brother Zach Hickerson — dialed emergency services after finding the actress unresponsive. A responding Greenville officer spoke first with Zach, who identified the woman as his brother’s girlfriend. Brian then presented the officer with a bag containing Panettiere’s medications, though the specific list of drugs was redacted from the released document.

Dispatch audio obtained through Broadcastify.com references a possible overdose as a factor in the call. Authorities have not confirmed or denied whether an overdose occurred. After medics attempted resuscitation on site, Panettiere was declared dead. An autopsy carried out Monday found no external trauma contributing to her death, the coroner’s office stated.

Tributes Pour In From Hollywood and Ukraine

The news of her sudden death sent shockwaves across the entertainment world and into Ukraine, where the father of her child offered a public tribute. Wladimir Klitschko, the former world heavyweight boxing champion and Panettiere’s ex-partner, posted on X on Tuesday:

“Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief. She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry.”

PETA, which Panettiere had supported through a campaign video filmed just two weeks before her death, issued its own statement. In that video, the actress lay in a bathtub and asked viewers to picture a life confined to a tank — the daily reality of animals held in marine parks such as SeaWorld. The organization wrote:

“The world has lost a kind soul and the animals a fierce ally, and everyone at PETA holds her memory close.”

A Career Built Early, Complicated by Struggle

Panettiere’s path to fame began in childhood, and her relationship with celebrity was always tangled with personal difficulty. After rising to prominence in the early 2000s, she gradually stepped back from the public eye while confronting addiction and mental-health challenges. A memoir published recently laid bare those battles in her own words. She had also spoken openly about the grief of losing her brother earlier in life — a loss that now means her parents are mourning two children.

Her father, Skip Panettiere, issued a statement through her representative:

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”

Her mother, Lesley Vogel, told NBC News on Tuesday that the actress was “an amazing” daughter. Earlier this year, on Jay Shetty’s “On Purpose” podcast, Panettiere disclosed that she does not speak with her mother — a detail that adds another layer to the family’s complicated history.

Neighbors Recall the Aftermath

Micah Lee, a resident of the same apartment complex, described an unsettling Sunday. His cats began behaving erratically, prompting him to peer into the hallway where he saw a cluster of people gathered. He quickly retreated inside.

“I heard through the door that a person had collapsed,” Lee said.

Lee later received an email from the property manager instructing residents not to speak with media. The message stated that residents and community management were “not in a position to provide official information or comment on the circumstances surrounding this matter” and directed all inquiries to law enforcement.

What Remains Unknown

As of the latest reporting, the official cause and manner of death await the results of further toxicology and pathology work. Panettiere was a California resident who had traveled to Greenville for an unspecified temporary stay. The apartment complex where she was found has not been publicly identified beyond its location in Greenville. No further details from the coroner’s office are expected until the pending tests are complete.