Hayden Panettiere's Boyfriend Brian Hickerson and His Brother Were Inside Apartment When Star Suffered Suspected 'Overdose', Police Say
Both Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were present when Hayden Panettiere died.
Aug. 18 2026, Updated 3:12 p.m. ET
Brian Hickerson and his brother were there when his on-again girlfriend, Hayden Panettiere, died inside a Greenville, South Carolina, loft, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
A newly released police report detailed how Zach Hickerson was "very emotional" as paramedics tried to revive the Heroes alum.
Brian Hickerson Didn't Become 'Emotional' Until After Hayden Panettiere Was Dead
Brian Henderson, left, is seen with his brother Zach in a 2016 photo.
A 911 call was placed from the Judson Mill lofts complex where Panettiere and Brian were staying in a rented Airbnb unit after she suffered a possible overdose on August 16.
The police report noted that both brothers were present when "EMS attempted to perform life-saving methods for an extended amount of time before they called a time of death" at 2:31 p.m. local time.
The responding officer wrote that he spoke to both men, and Zach "advised this was his brother’s girlfriend" and that they had called 911.
The cop observed Zach to be "very emotional" as paramedics were performing CPR on Panettiere, but that Brian "did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased."
Brian Hickerson Gave Cops Hayden Panettiere's Medication Bag
Hayden Panettiere was five days away from turning 37 when she died.
The officer went on to write that Brian gave him a bag of medication that the actress was allegedly taking at the time of her death.
The names of the drugs were redacted.
Also redacted was the statement that followed, beginning "To Brian's knowledge..."
A detective and a sergeant then arrived on the scene to take over the investigation.
The officer who wrote the report noted that his BWC, or body-worn camera, was "active" and recorded the on-site interview that the detective conducted with Brian.
Hayden Panettiere Was Open About Her Struggles With Substance Abuse
Hayden Panettiere was battling back pain and other health issues in the months before her death.
The Remember the Titans star had reportedly been battling health issues, including back and nerve pain, in the months prior to her death. Back in March, she was seen needing the help of walking aids while arriving at LAX.
Panettiere had also been candid about her substance abuse issues over the years, particularly with alcohol and opioids when she spiraled into postpartum depression following the 2014 birth of her daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko.
"It became this horrible cycle for years of battling depression and anxiety and alcoholism and substance abuse and me just trying to find my way back, my way out of this darkness," the former child star told life coach Jay Shetty during a May appearance on his podcast.
Hayden Panettiere and Brian Henderson Had a Turbulent Relationship
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Brian Henderson was arrested multiple times for alleged domestic violence incidents involving Hayden Panettiere.
As Radar previously reported, the initial autopsy found "no signs of trauma" or "foul play" that would have contributed to Panettiere's death.
"(The) cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies," Greenville County Coroner Mike Ellis wrote in a statement on Monday, August 17.
Brian and the Nashville star had a turbulent, on-and-off relationship that began in 2018.
He was arrested multiple times for domestic violence and sentenced in 2021 to 45 days in jail after pleading no contest to two felony counts of injuring Panettiere. He only ended up serving 12 days behind bars.
