A woman who lived next door to the late actress Hayden Panettiere told Page Six that she witnessed the actress being taken out of her Los Angeles residence on a gurney on two occasions during her relationship with Brian Hickerson.
Mia Terrazas reported seeing firefighters assisting Panettiere on July 29, 2023, and again on January 16, 2024. Terrazas told the outlet that Panettiere sported bruises and bright red spots during both incidents, and that Hickerson was present and "glued to" the actress each time.
Terrazas' daughter, Vileena Koneru, corroborated her mother's account, stating she witnessed both incidents as her mother described them. Koneru added that in the January 2024 incident, she and her mother expressed their concerns to first responders.
According to Terrazas, she spoke with Panettiere during the July 2023 incident while the actress was on the gurney. When asked if she was okay, Panettiere reportedly replied that she was.
Terrazas also stated that she repeatedly heard "muffled arguments" that sounded "very hostile" coming from Panettiere's residence. She recalled hearing Panettiere once "screaming" at Hickerson in an elevator, saying, "Just leave me alone! Just stop!"
Authorities were aware of Panettiere's protective order against Hickerson, which had expired earlier in 2024. Terrazas indicated she had contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department multiple times when she saw Hickerson at the property, and that he was removed on one occasion but returned the next day. Officials reportedly informed Terrazas that they had attempted to keep the couple separated, but Panettiere and Hickerson continued to reunite.
Panettiere was found deceased on August 16 in Greenville, South Carolina, in what officials are suspecting was an overdose. The initial investigation found no signs of trauma or foul play.
Hickerson was previously involved in a domestic abuse case with Panettiere. In April 2021, he entered a no-contest plea to two felony counts of domestic abuse. He was initially charged with eight counts, including assault with a deadly weapon, battery, and corporal injury, in July 2020. He received a 45-day jail sentence and four years of probation, along with court-ordered domestic violence classes. The remaining charges were dropped following his plea. Panettiere had been issued a five-year protective order, which expired earlier this year.
In May, Hickerson spoke with TMZ about past instances of abuse detailed in Panettiere's memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning." He acknowledged being arrested for abusing her and stated, "You never lay hands on a woman, bottom line." He recounted a story from Panettiere's memoir where he threatened her with a phone while intoxicated. Hickerson attributed his behavior to being in "such a dark place" involving drugs and alcohol.
Panettiere's passing was announced by her father, Skip Panettiere, who stated, "It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her—and to the millions who watched her onscreen. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss."