Hayden Panettiere death investigation closed: What Greenville police said

Greenville police in South Carolina have closed their investigation into actor Hayden Panettiere’s death, Deadline reported on October 28. The department said its findings and the county coroner’s ruling supported an accidental-death determination, ending the police inquiry into her August 16 death.

In a statement quoted by Deadline, the Greenville Police Department said: ‘Based on the (coroner’s office’s) determination and the findings of the investigation, Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled accidental. The Greenville Police Department has concluded its investigation.’ Panettiere was 36.

What the coroner found

Emergency responders were called to the Greenville residence where Panettiere was staying on the afternoon of August 16, CBS News reported. They attempted advanced cardiac life support, but she was pronounced dead there. CBS reported that a police report identified Brian Hickerson, described as her on-again, off-again boyfriend, and his brother Zach as being at the scene and making the 911 call.

What police had investigated

Authorities, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, had investigated the circumstances of Panettiere’s death, CBS News reported. Police had previously said their preliminary investigation found no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. Deadline reported that investigators had examined whether Panettiere obtained illicit or possibly counterfeit drugs from a dealer in Southern California. The closure statement did not establish whether that line of inquiry led to a finding about where the drugs came from.

Panettiere was widely known for playing Claire Bennet in NBC’s Heroes and Juliette Barnes in ABC’s Nashville. Her screen work also included the Scream films. She had spoken publicly about struggles with addiction, telling People in an interview quoted by Deadline that drugs and alcohol became increasingly difficult to live without as she got older.