Hayden Panettiere's On-Off Boyfriend Brian Hickerson Allegedly 'Showed Police a Bag of Medication' the Actress Was Taking Before 'Overdose' Death, According to Reports
Hayden Panettiere's on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson had a bag of her medications when emergency workers arrived.
Aug. 18 2026, Published 5:20 p.m. ET
Hayden Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, reportedly showed police a bag full of medications the actress had been taking at the time of her shocking death, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Heroes star, who died Sunday, August 16, of what was initially ruled a heart attack, has a long history of drug abuse and addiction and had recently been reeling from a bad back.
Did Hayden Panettiere Suffer an 'Overdose'?
Panettiere was found unresponsive in a South Carolina apartment on August 16.
According to a police report, Hickerson and his brother Zach were with Panettiere in a Greenville, South Carolina, apartment complex when the 36-year-old went into cardiac arrest.
Someone in the apartment called 911, and a dispatcher could be heard in the audio of the call saying that Panettiere had suffered a "suspected overdose."
First responders tried to perform CPR on the "unresponsive" actress, but "resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at 2:32 PM," authorities told Radar in a statement.
Hickerson allegedly then showed police a "bag of medication" that Panettiere had been taking at the time of her death, which she had kept inside the apartment complex where she was temporarily staying. A container of Narcan – a nasal medication used to treat an opioid overdose – was also found on a mattress at the property.
Brian Hickerson and Hayden Panettiere Had a Turbulent Relationship
The actress had a volatile relationship with Hickerson.
While it's not yet clear if Panettiere had any drugs in her system at the time of her death, she had been open about her battles with depression and addiction, and many of her friends had accused Hickerson of "enabling" the Nashville star's dependency issues.
Panettiere and Hickerson began dating in 2018, but their relationship quickly became volatile, and he was arrested several times for domestic violence during their time together.
After learning of her daughter's death, estranged mom Lesley Vogel bashed Hickerson and his influence on Panettiere's life.
"This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson," Vogel told NBC News.
"I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments, and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry – it is a struggle, and it's a very challenging industry, and it's not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path."
Hayden Panettiere's Family and Friends Warned Against Brian Hickerson
Panettiere's mom blasted their relationship.
Panettiere's friends apparently felt the same way, and vowed to intervene after Hickerson was sentenced to 45 days in jail for "domestic violence."
"Hayden's rekindled relationship with Brian was already raising alarms. But this fight was the last straw," an insider confided at the time. "Some people around her are convinced she needs an intervention – and soon. Her family and friends want to get her help and away from her boyfriend. They fear he's leading her down a path of self-destruction."
The source added, "Brian clearly has anger management issues and violent tendencies. Her loved ones are really worried about her."
Hayden Panettiere Was Dealing with Back Pain
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Friends also worried about Panettiere's romance with Hickerson.
Panettiere worked hard to conquer her drug and alcohol demons, spending time in rehab and focusing on her recovery. But her health suffered a setback earlier this year as she dealt with a painful back injury she worried might have left her "paralyzed for life."
The former child star had been plagued by back issues since at least May, when she was spotted struggling to walk outside of CBS, clutching her assistant's hand for support as she got out of her car.
Panettiere opened up about her back during an interview with Women's Health as she described having suffered nerve damage in her lower back.
"I quite literally woke up and felt nothing but pins and needles from my waist down," she stated. "I wasn't able to bend my toes or lift my foot at all. No one was able to give me a solid answer."
She continued, "It was like that for so long that I was sitting there going, 'Oh my gosh, am I gonna be paralyzed for the rest of my... life?' It's the scariest thing that's ever happened to me physically, for sure."
It's not clear if Panettiere was taking pain medication for her back
