Greenville Police say no charges are being brought. The cause of death was the toxic effects of fentanyl and four other substances, and questions about who supplied the drugs remain open.
Hayden Panettiere’s death from a drug overdose at 36 has been ruled accidental, police confirmed on Wednesday, about ten weeks after she died. Greenville Police Department told CNN: “Based on the Medical Examiner’s determination and the findings of the investigation, Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled accidental.” The statement said this brings the police investigation to a close. Ms Panettiere died on 16 August at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina. Her on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zach, were both at the scene when she was pronounced dead.
The cause of death
A spokesman for the Greenville County Coroner’s Office said an autopsy was completed by a board-certified forensic pathologist. “At autopsy no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death,” he said. “The cause of death has been ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine. The manner of death has been ruled accident. This case is administratively closed by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.”
Methocarbamol is a prescription muscle relaxant used for short-term muscle pain. Quetiapine, sold as Seroquel, is an antipsychotic used for conditions including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. Alprazolam, known as Xanax, treats anxiety and panic disorders. 4-ANPP is a chemical used as a main building block in making illegal fentanyl.
The research notes say the coroner announced the finding on 22 September, so the police statement on 28 October marks the formal close of the police inquiry. The toxicology confirms which substances were involved. It does not establish where each came from or the order in which they were taken.
What investigators reportedly found
According to a coroner’s investigative report obtained by FOX Carolina on 24 September, a bottle labelled Adderall on a kitchen table held a bag of blue pressed tablets and a cut straw instead. Preliminary tests reportedly found fentanyl in the tablets and on the straw. A small bag of white powder was reportedly found in a sunglasses case in her luggage, and medical supplies and syringes were documented elsewhere in the apartment. These findings do not show that every pill contained fentanyl, that any one pill caused the overdose, or who supplied them.
The report, as relayed by FOX Carolina and local police reporting, gives this timeline for 16 August:
- About 10am to 10.30am: Mr Hickerson told investigators that he and Ms Panettiere woke and had breakfast.
- Early afternoon: He said his brother arrived, and Ms Panettiere was then found unresponsive.
- About 1.51pm: Emergency dispatchers received a report of a woman in cardiac arrest.
- Before paramedics arrived: Mr Hickerson reportedly gave two doses of naloxone (Narcan), and CPR was attempted.
- 2.32pm: She was pronounced dead despite attempts to revive her.
Resuscitation attempts do not establish whether earlier intervention would have changed the outcome.
Last week, insiders told TMZ that authorities believed she had fatally consumed a single oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl. Sources told the outlet she had a “long time drug dealer” in Los Angeles from whom she illegally obtained narcotics, including oxycodone. Authorities said that the day before she died, she had taken multiple drugs bought in Los Angeles before flying to South Carolina, where she was found dead the next day. The identity of any supplier has not been established.
Questions that remain
The Los Angeles Times reported on 22 September that federal investigators were examining whether Ms Panettiere obtained counterfeit oxycodone pills from a Los Angeles supplier, and had interviewed several people about the source. Greenville Police and federal drug investigators are separate authorities. WYFF reports that it has contacted the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) again after Wednesday’s announcement and is awaiting a response. Closing the local inquiry does not rule out future federal action. Police have announced no charges.
Ms Panettiere’s father told investigators he had not known she was visiting Greenville, according to the coroner’s report, and asked that her belongings not be released to Mr Hickerson because of concerns about their relationship. Police agreed to collect and inventory them for safekeeping. That request is not evidence that Mr Hickerson was responsible, and he has not been accused of wrongdoing. The report also records that her father said she had completed a stay of about two to three weeks at a rehabilitation facility in Malibu and been discharged only weeks before her death. That is background, and it should not be used to infer the circumstances of her last drug use.
The estate
On 8 October, a Los Angeles judge granted her former fiancé, the former heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, temporary guardianship over the estate inherited by their daughter, Kaya, 11, who is reported to be Ms Panettiere’s sole heir. According to ABC News, his lawyers raised concerns about missing valuables and unauthorised access to her Los Angeles home, and alleged that someone outside the family tried to sell jewellery at a pawn shop. The court appointed him to protect the child’s financial interests until longer-term arrangements are made. These are separate estate proceedings, not evidence about who supplied the drugs.
If you or someone you know is affected by drug use or addiction, support is available from Frank (0300 123 6600) and the Samaritans (116 123).
