Hayden Panettiere dies at 36 in apparent overdose

Hayden Panettiere, the actress known for her roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," died of an apparent overdose on August 16, 2026, in Greenville, South Carolina. She was 36 years old. Her on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zachary Hickerson, were present at the Airbnb apartment where she was found unresponsive.

According to a police report, officers responded to a welfare check at the Judson Mill apartment complex. Brian Hickerson showed police a bag of medication Panettiere had been taking. Zachary Hickerson was described as visibly emotional as emergency workers attempted to save her. An autopsy found no signs of trauma, and authorities have stated there were no signs of foul play. The cause and manner of her death remain under investigation, with a toxicology report pending.

Panettiere and Brian Hickerson, a realtor, began dating in 2018. Their relationship was marked by a cycle of violence and reconciliation. In 2020, Panettiere called police on Hickerson in Los Angeles, and officers observed marks on her body, leading to his arrest. Court documents from a related Wyoming case show Hickerson voluntarily enrolled in a domestic violence prevention program....