Brian Hickerson, the on-again, off-again boyfriend of actress Hayden Panettiere, has broken his silence regarding her death through his legal counsel. The statement comes four days after Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive in a South Carolina apartment.
"Hayden's death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed," attorney Sloan Ellis of the Ellis Hinton law firm told TMZ. "As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden's loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time."
Hickerson, 37, was present at the apartment where Panettiere died, along with his brother Zach Hickerson, according to police confirmation on Tuesday. A Greenville police officer responding to the residence Sunday afternoon observed paramedics performing CPR on an unresponsive woman. According to the police report, "The patient did not seem to have any obvious physical reasons to be unresponsive."
Paramedics declared Panettiere dead at 2:31 p.m. after attempting lifesaving measures. The cause of death is currently under investigation. An autopsy revealed no signs of trauma, and police have stated that officers observed no indications of foul play. A dispatcher involved in a 911 call from the apartment mentioned that Panettiere had experienced "cardiac arrest." Sources also indicated to TMZ that Narcan, a medication for opioid overdose, was found at the property.
Panettiere, who gained fame for her roles in the television series "Heroes" and "Nashville," had publicly spoken about her struggles with alcohol addiction and depression. She would have celebrated her 37th birthday on Friday.
Her relationship with Hickerson began in 2018 and was marked by several domestic violence-related arrests for Hickerson. In her memoir, published shortly before her death, Panettiere detailed aspects of their relationship, describing it as "a very dark and complicated time in my life." She alleged in the memoir that Hickerson once severely beat her, requiring her to stay home for weeks to conceal her injuries. She also stated that she hesitated to involve the police due to fears of public exposure.
Hickerson was arrested in May 2019 on charges of injuring a spouse or girlfriend. He entered a plea of no contest in April 2021 and received a sentence of 45 days in county jail and four years of probation. Court records indicate that his request to reduce his past felony charges was denied by a judge just three days prior to Panettiere's death. Panettiere had filed for a restraining order against Hickerson in July 2020, though the outcome of that request is not detailed in court records.
Panettiere had an 11-year-old daughter with her former partner, Wladimir Klitschko. Klitschko, a former boxer, is now a Ukrainian government official, and he has full custody of their child.