Greenville Police Close Case on Hayden Panettiere's Death, Citing Multiple Drugs

Greenville police closed their investigation into the death of actor Hayden Panettiere on Wednesday. The department ruled her death accidental based on the medical examiner's findings and the completed police inquiry.

Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive on August 16 in an apartment complex in South Carolina. The Greenville County Coroner's Office released its report last month. It identified the cause of death as the toxic effects of five specific substances. Those drugs were fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol, and quetiapine. The coroner stated there were no signs of physical trauma that contributed to the outcome.

Police officials said they found no evidence of foul play during the initial response. A source familiar with the matter told NBC News that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration was also investigating. The agency typically examines how narcotics were obtained and whether any laws were broken during procurement. The police report noted that Brian Hickerson, Panettiere's on-again, off-again boyfriend, was at the complex when she died. He presented a bag of medication to officers, stating it was what Panettiere was taking at the time.

Panettiere had been in rehabilitation just weeks before her death, according to the coroner's report. Her mother, Lesley Vogel, described her daughter as a fighter who remained transparent about her addiction. Vogel noted that the numerous rehab attempts demonstrated her resolve to live a healthy life. Vogel added that she had never heard Panettiere speak of fentanyl.

The actor had previously discussed her struggles with addiction in public. She detailed these experiences in her memoir. The book explained that her life began to spiral after she had a daughter with Ukrainian heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. She wrote that she drank heavily to cope with postpartum depression and Klitschko's distance. She checked into rehab and gave Klitschko custody of their child in 2018. The memoir also covered her grief after her brother, Jansen Panettiere, died in 2023 from an undiagnosed heart condition.

Panettiere began her career as a child actor. She later starred in the television shows Heroes and Nashville. Her film credits include Remember the Titans, Ice Princess, and Bring It On: All or Nothing. The Greenville police statement marked the final conclusion of the case that began in August.