Hayden Panettiere’s death is ruled accidental, and police investigation is closed

Hayden Panettiere in New York City in 2017. Roy Rochlin / GettyShareAdd NBC News to GoogleOct. 28, 2026, 5:08 PM EDTBy Marlene Lenthang and Maya RosenbergActor Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled an accident, and the case is now closed, police in South Carolina announced Wednesday.

“Based on the Medical Examiner’s determination and the findings of the investigation, Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled accidental,” Greenville police said, noting the investigation has concluded.

Panettiere, 36, the actor who starred in the shows “Heroes” and “Nashville,” was found unresponsive Aug. 16 in a South Carolina apartment complex where she was staying.

Last month, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office ruled her death an accident caused by the toxic effects of multiple drugs: fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine.

The coroner said there were no signs of trauma that would have contributed to her death. Police also have said no signs of foul play were found during the initial response and investigation.

Panettiere, who had publicly discussed her struggle with addiction, had been in rehab just weeks before, according to the coroner’s report.

Panettiere’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, was at the apartment complex at the time of her death. He showed police a “bag of medication” he said she was taking at the time, according to the police report.

After the coroner’s report was issued, Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, called her daughter a “fighter” who was “transparent with her addictions and her numerous rehab attempts show her resolve to live a healthy life.”

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDHS hack exposes 40,000 employee names and undercover ICE agents, activists sayFOR SUBSCRIBERSRising diesel prices hit school districts hard ahead of the midterm electionsFOR SUBSCRIBERS‘There goes Texas’: The swing county that could determine the state’s next senatorFOR SUBSCRIBERSThey were deported to Costa Rica, but that won’t stop them from trying to come back to the U.S.FOR SUBSCRIBERSIsrael’s election has no clear winner — but Benjamin Netanyahu looks far from defeated againFOR SUBSCRIBERSDemocratic? Republican? Most new young voters register as neitherFOR SUBSCRIBERSDavid Crowley rushes to shore up support with Black voters in Wisconsin governor’s raceFOR SUBSCRIBERSDOJ’s ‘shocking’ flurry of pre-election activity breaks precedent, former officials sayFOR SUBSCRIBERSElectronic machines aren’t flipping votes, despite online claims, election officials sayFOR SUBSCRIBERSDemocratic candidates emphasize their support for gun rights in tight midterm racesFOR SUBSCRIBERSMacklemore’s Free Palestine Tour gets massive welcome in Dublin, where pro-Palestinian support runs deepFOR SUBSCRIBERSYes, we’re already talking about 2028FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmy Acton says she’s learning new things about her childhood in wake of attack adFOR SUBSCRIBERSAs Tennessee manhunt continues, sister of murderer’s victim warns ‘he will kill somebody’FOR SUBSCRIBERS2026 midterms become most expensive election cycle everSlide 1 of 1For SubscribersFOR SUBSCRIBERSDHS hack exposes 40,000 employee names and undercover ICE agents, activists sayFOR SUBSCRIBERSRising diesel prices hit school districts hard ahead of the midterm electionsFOR SUBSCRIBERS‘There goes Texas’: The swing county that could determine the state’s next senatorFOR SUBSCRIBERSThey were deported to Costa Rica, but that won’t stop them from trying to come back to the U.S.FOR SUBSCRIBERSIsrael’s election has no clear winner — but Benjamin Netanyahu looks far from defeated againFOR SUBSCRIBERSDemocratic? Republican? Most new young voters register as neitherFOR SUBSCRIBERSDavid Crowley rushes to shore up support with Black voters in Wisconsin governor’s raceFOR SUBSCRIBERSDOJ’s ‘shocking’ flurry of pre-election activity breaks precedent, former officials sayFOR SUBSCRIBERSElectronic machines aren’t flipping votes, despite online claims, election officials sayFOR SUBSCRIBERSDemocratic candidates emphasize their support for gun rights in tight midterm racesFOR SUBSCRIBERSMacklemore’s Free Palestine Tour gets massive welcome in Dublin, where pro-Palestinian support runs deepFOR SUBSCRIBERSYes, we’re already talking about 2028FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmy Acton says she’s learning new things about her childhood in wake of attack adFOR SUBSCRIBERSAs Tennessee manhunt continues, sister of murderer’s victim warns ‘he will kill somebody’FOR SUBSCRIBERS2026 midterms become most expensive election cycle everSlide 1 of 1Vogel also said at the time that she had “never heard Hayden speak of fentanyl.”

Panettiere entered Hollywood as a child actor and later carved her own path, starring in the films “Remember the Titans,” “Ice Princess” and “Bring It On: All or Nothing.”

In her memoir, she detailed how her life began to spiral after she had a daughter with Ukrainian heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. She began drinking heavily to cope with postpartum depression and Klitschko’s distance, she wrote in the book.

She checked into rehab and gave Klitschko custody of their child in 2018.

In the book, she also discussed grappling with pain and grief after her brother, Jansen Panettiere, died in 2023 from an undiagnosed heart condition.

Marlene Lenthang is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.

Maya Rosenberg is an assignment editor based in Miami.