Brian Hickerson's history of violence allegedly predates his relationship with actress Hayden Panettiere, extending back to a 2010 incident for which he, his father, and his brother were charged, according to his half-sister, Ashley Hickerson. She spoke with the Daily Mail about her brother's "demons" and the complex reasons she believes Panettiere repeatedly returned to him despite the domestic abuse that characterized their relationship.
Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive and later declared dead on August 16 in Greenville, South Carolina, where she had been staying in an Airbnb. Both Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zachary Hickerson, were present at the scene. Ashley Hickerson described her brother as charismatic and capable of drawing people in, suggesting this charm contributed to Panettiere's continued involvement. "If I can say one thing about Brian, it's that he is the most charismatic person and he draws you in," Ashley told the Daily Mail. "I get why Hayden was with him. Brian is just the type of person who can make you laugh no matter what and he can be fun."
Ashley attributed her brother's struggles to substance abuse, stating, "We all have our demons. Brian was not raised that way. It wasn't until he got into drugs that he went south."
Records indicate that in November 2010, a then 21-year-old Brian Hickerson was charged with two counts of third-degree assault and battery by mob in Greenville. His father, David Hickerson, and brother, Zachary Hickerson, faced the same charges stemming from the same incident. The disposition of these charges is unclear. Ashley confirmed her family's recollection of the event, with her father telling her, "Some people caused a riot with them in 2010."
Further incidents of domestic conflict involving Brian Hickerson were reported in the years leading up to Panettiere's death. In August 2018, 911 logs indicated a fight between Brian and Zachary at Panettiere's Hollywood Hills home. The following month, in October 2018, police responded to a report of a domestic assault in progress at the Hickerson family's home in Greenville, with Panettiere present. During the investigation, Panettiere informed the responding officer that Hickerson had "destroyed her kitchen" the previous April, indicating issues in their relationship prior to public allegations of abuse.
The October 2018 incident involved Brian and his father, David. The responding officer observed David Hickerson with blood on his face, and Brian appeared to be chasing his father through the kitchen. Panettiere, who was inside, seemed "frantic" when police arrived. Brian Hickerson denied assaulting his father, who stated his injuries were from a fall, though the report noted severe bruising. The case was recorded as "exceptionally cleared" due to the victim's refusal to cooperate. However, Panettiere's separate statement to police about her kitchen provided insight into the couple's troubles before their domestic abuse issues became public.
Brian Hickerson was arrested multiple times starting in May 2019 for alleged violence against Panettiere. He eventually pleaded no contest in 2021 to two felony counts of injuring a partner, receiving a sentence of 45 days in county jail, serving 13 days, and was placed on four years of probation and ordered to complete 52 domestic violence classes. Panettiere later spoke publicly about the abuse and the reasons she returned to Hickerson. Brian Hickerson also acknowledged his actions in a May interview with TMZ, stating, "I did it. I did it." Ashley added that her brother had sought treatment and was receiving help, and had "owned up to his s**t."
Despite the well-documented difficulties, Ashley stated that her family is also grieving Panettiere's death. "A massive tragedy has happened," she said. "My family is really feeling this loss as well. If I could be with them I would." She noted that their father, David, has been particularly affected by the loss. Ashley stressed that these violent episodes did not define her family, whom she described as "amazing people."