Hayden Panettiere is believed to have died after taking an oxycodone tablet laced with fentanyl, according to a report citing sources familiar with the investigation into the actress’s death in South Carolina.
The reported theory has not been confirmed by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office, which is still awaiting toxicology results. Authorities have not formally established a cause or manner of death.
Hayden Panettiere death investigation
Sources cited by TMZ said Panettiere had a longstanding drug dealer in Los Angeles who allegedly supplied her with black-market prescription medication, including oxycodone.
The alleged supplier is now the focus of a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation, as officials seek to establish his relationship with Panettiere and trace the tablet believed to have caused her death.
The DEA joined the wider investigation in August. The agency has declined to confirm or comment on an active inquiry, while Panettiere’s former partner Brian Hickerson has since spoken with federal investigators, according to reports.
Investigators are said to be examining whether a controlled substance supplied by a third party contributed to the 36-year-old’s death. The claim remains unproven and no arrest has been announced.
Panettiere was found unresponsive at Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville on August 16. A 911 call was received at about 1.51pm reporting a cardiac arrest, and emergency crews attempted advanced life support before she was pronounced dead at 2.32pm.
A preliminary autopsy found no signs of trauma that would have contributed to her death. Greenville police said their initial investigation had also found no indication of foul play or suspicious circumstances.
A heavily redacted police report said Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were at the apartment when Panettiere was found. It also recorded that Hickerson showed officers a bag containing medication, although the specific drugs listed in the report were redacted.
The report stated that Zach appeared distressed while paramedics treated Panettiere, while Brian became emotional after she had been pronounced dead. Details of the officer’s conversation with Brian were also withheld.
Panettiere’s death was announced by her representative, who described the actress as “an incredible light and a force of nature”. Her father, Skip Panettiere, said she had brought love and joy to those who knew her and to the millions who watched her on screen.
Panettiere was best known for playing Claire Bennet in Heroes and Juliette Barnes in Nashville. She also appeared in the Scream films and Remember the Titans, and performed her own songs during her four seasons on Nashville.
Her death remains under investigation, with the final toxicology findings expected to determine whether fentanyl or any other substance played a role.
