Hayden Panettiere, the late actress known for her roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," took measures to prevent her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson from attending a promotional event for her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," earlier this year. Panettiere reportedly gave specific instructions to the Manhattan Barnes & Noble venue where the event was held in May, directing security to keep Hickerson off the premises.
Sources with direct knowledge of the tour told The New York Times that Panettiere had private security guards present at the event. Hickerson and Panettiere had been linked since 2018 and had a history marked by domestic abuse allegations. In April 2021, Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of domestic abuse in Los Angeles. These charges stemmed from an incident in July 2020, where he had initially faced eight counts, including assault with a deadly weapon and battery. He received a 45-day jail sentence and four years of probation, with the court ordering him to complete domestic violence classes.
Panettiere had been issued a five-year protective order against Hickerson, which expired earlier this year. In 2020, she issued a statement expressing hope that her experience could serve as an example for others in similar situations, stating, "I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me, in the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve."
In her memoir, Panettiere detailed the complexities of her relationship with Hickerson, writing about seven years of "mental illness, addiction, rage, abuse and pain." She described the progression from the first instance of physical abuse to more severe incidents. In May, Hickerson spoke to TMZ about their past, acknowledging his arrest for abusing her and stating, "You never lay hands on a woman, bottom line."
Panettiere died on August 16 at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina. Officials are investigating her death, which they suspect may be a drug overdose. Her father, Skip Panettiere, announced her passing, calling her "an incredible light and a force of nature." Authorities confirmed that there were no signs of trauma or foul play during their initial investigation into her death.