Brian Hickerson, the on-again, off-again boyfriend of the late actress Hayden Panettiere, was seen publicly for the first time since her death on Sunday. Hickerson was photographed on Wednesday afternoon in Greenville, South Carolina, exiting a vehicle.
He was observed maintaining a low profile, wearing sunglasses, a hat, and a white t-shirt with a sweatshirt. Page Six confirmed that Hickerson has been staying at his grandmother's residence following Panettiere's death. On Wednesday morning, officers responded to the home for a welfare check but received no answer. Approximately 90 minutes later, officers returned and approached the rear of the property, staying for about ten minutes before departing. Hickerson's brother, Zach, was reportedly at the home during the time of the welfare check.
An insider told Page Six that Panettiere, 36, and Hickerson had recently reconnected two weeks prior to her death. The source stated that the two had flown from Los Angeles to South Carolina the day before Panettiere passed away, with the insider adding that Hickerson "would always find a way to work his way back into Hayden’s life as ‘a friend.’"
The couple began dating in 2018, and their relationship was marked by several domestic violence incidents. Hickerson was first arrested in May 2019, to which he pleaded not guilty; those charges were later dropped. However, the pattern of alleged abuse continued, with Hickerson arrested again in December 2019 and January 2020 for separate incidents. Los Angeles prosecutors accused him of causing injury to Panettiere using a garage floor and stairs. He was arrested in February 2020 for allegedly punching Panettiere, an incident she described as a wake-up call.
In July 2020, prosecutors filed eight charges against Hickerson, including felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon, battery, and corporal injury. He pleaded no contest to two charges of injuring a spouse or cohabitant, while the remaining charges were dismissed. As a result, Hickerson received a 45-day jail sentence, four years of probation, was ordered to complete domestic violence classes, and was issued a five-year protective order. A judge recently denied his request to reduce past charges.
Panettiere herself had spoken about the cyclical nature of abusive relationships in a May interview on Jay Shetty’s “On Purpose” podcast. She described how abusers could find their way back into her life after she gained the strength to leave. Panettiere noted that when Hickerson was sober, he would appear devastated and apologetic, which made her feel torn. She also reflected on her own past mistakes and the forgiveness she received.
Hickerson admitted to his abusive behavior in a separate interview with TMZ in May, expressing regret and discussing his struggles with addiction.
Panettiere was reportedly found unconscious at a South Carolina Airbnb on Sunday following a suspected overdose. Brian Hickerson was allegedly asleep in another room at the time. First responders attempted resuscitation but were unsuccessful. Panettiere was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m. She is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, from her previous relationship with Wladimir Klitschko.