Watch: Hayden Panettiere Was Found With Counterfeit Pills, White Powder at Time of Her Death
More information is coming to light about the circumstances of Hayden Panettiere’s death.
After the Greenville County Coroner’s Office ruled that the 36-year-old died as a result of drugs in her system, a more detailed report released by the Medical Examiner details what the responding deputy coroner found in the South Carolina Airbnb Panettiere had been staying in.
According to the report, obtained by TMZ, the coroner found blue pressed pills—which are counterfeit tablets made to look like regulated prescription medications—that tested positive for fentanyl. There was also a straw present on the table near where her body was found as well as a sunglasses case containing white powder inside her suitcase.
The report also says Panettiere, who was with her ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson when she died, had turned “deep purple” when the brothers discovered her body. Zach previously told TMZ that upon discovering the Hero star’s body, he “immediately called 911 and Brian gave her Narcan,” which is used to treat overdoses.
It wasn’t until one month after Panettiere’s death on Aug. 16, however, that an official cause of death was confirmed.
On Sept. 22, a release from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office shared with E! News ruled her cause of death as “toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine,” the latter of which are an anti-anxiety medication, a muscle relaxer and a medication to treat depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Roy Rochlin/FilmMagic
The release noted the manner of Panettiere’s death has been ruled an accident and that “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death” during her autopsy.
Following the cause of death confirmation, Panettiere’s rep shared additional insight into the status of the Racing Stripes star’s case with authorities.
“The investigation remains ongoing and the circumstances surrounding the case are complex,” Kasey Kitchen told E! News on Sept. 22. “We must all continue to remain patient and allow the investigative process to unfold.”
It’s a sentiment that echoes one shared a week earlier by Panettiere’s team as online speculation surrounding her death mounted.
While acknowledging the public’s eagerness to find closure, they stressed the need for patience as authorities investigate, adding in the Sept. 16 statement, “The answers we are all seeking will come.”
Until then, read on for what we know so far about Panettiere’s death.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Roy Rochlin/FilmMagic
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
Eric Charbonneau/Shutterstock
gotpap/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
“Brian did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased.”E! News has reached out to Zach for comment but has not heard back. Meanwhile, Brian’s attorney Sloan Ellis has spoken out.”Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,” Ellis told E! News Aug. 20. “As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.”And while police told People officers “responded to a call for a welfare check at a home belonging to Brian Hickerson’s family” on Aug. 19, they noted “the call is unrelated to the Hayden Panettiere death investigation and did not require an incident report.”
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
While Panettiere—whose brother Jansen died in 2023 at age 28—and her mom had publicly spoken about their estrangement, Vogel remembered her daughter as “an amazingly talented person in so many departments.””I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry—it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry,” she added, “and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.”Additionally, her ex Wladimir Klitschko addressed his “profound shock and grief” he and their daughter Kaya were facing in the wake of Panettiere’s death. The Ukranian boxer further vowed to keep the Nashville alum’s legacy alive in Kaya’s memory.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
