Police in South Carolina have closed their investigation into the overdose death of actor Hayden Panettiere, following a coroner's finding that it was accidental. Greenville police announced the decision Wednesday, stating it was based on the medical examiner's determination and the investigation's findings.
Panettiere, known for her roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at an apartment in Greenville on August 16. She was 36 years old.
A coroner's report obtained by The Associated Press last month indicated her death was the result of an accidental overdose of multiple drugs, including fentanyl. The report also noted that Panettiere had been in rehabilitation weeks prior to her death. Her on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother Zach Hickerson were present at the residence at the time of her death.
It remains unclear if federal authorities are pursuing a separate investigation. In a petition filed with a California court last month, Panettiere's ex-fiancé, former boxer Wladimir Klitschko, alleged that some of her property had been seized by federal law enforcement agents investigating her death, and by an unnamed individual seeking to sell it. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Greenville police stated they could not confirm if other agencies were involved.
Earlier this month, a California court granted Klitschko legal status to manage Panettiere's property for their 11-year-old daughter, who is Panettiere's sole heir.
Panettiere's memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," published in May, detailed her struggles with alcohol addiction and postpartum depression following her daughter's birth in 2014. Her daughter moved to live with Klitschko full-time at the age of 2.
According to investigators, Panettiere's father reported that she had planned to visit her daughter in Ukraine days after her death.