DEA Joins Investigation Into Hayden Panettiere's Death
Two Greenville Police Department cruisers pulled up to a home owned by Brian Hickerson's grandmother on Wednesday morning. Officers knocked on doors, received no answer, left, and returned roughly 90 minutes later for a welfare check.
- Zach Hickerson, 38, was home at the time; neither brother answered the door.
- Panettiere was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m. on August 16 after cardiac life-support measures failed.
- Brian Hickerson gave officers a bag of medication Panettiere had been taking; names were redacted in the police report.
- 3 days before her death, a judge denied Hickerson's second bid to reduce his felony convictions to misdemeanors.
Why it matters: Panettiere's death remains under investigation. Police said Monday there were no initial signs of foul play or trauma, but dispatch audio captured officers referencing an overdose.
- Zach Hickerson discovered Panettiere unresponsive in a chair in the Airbnb living room; Brian was asleep in another room.
- Panettiere's mother, Lesley Vogel, told NBC News that Brian Hickerson was "this person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time."
How 17 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage splits on whether to center Hickerson's domestic violence history or treat his presence as circumstantial to a death police have not called suspicious.
Center coverage, 2 sources: The center focuses on the visual record — Hickerson appearing publicly for the first time since the death — and sticks closely to what police and the incident report confirm.
Left coverage, 7 sources: The left foregrounds Hickerson's documented abuse and Panettiere's mother's condemnation, framing his presence at her death as the culmination of a dangerous relationship she struggled to escape.
Hollywood Reporter2hHayden Panettiere’s Neighbor Says She Called 911 Multiple Times to Report Disturbances With Star’s Boyfriend
The Daily Beast4hHayden Panettiere’s Neighbor Drops Bombshell on Abusive Ex
The New York Times2hWhat to Know About Hayden Panettiere’s Death
ABC News4hDrug Enforcement Administration joins probe into Hayden Panettiere's death: SourcesHCHouston Chronicle1dHayden Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend was at apartment where she died, police report says
The Independent10hPolice probe possible criminal conduct in Hayden Panettiere’s death
Variety3hHayden Panettiere’s Death: DEA Joins InvestigationRight coverage, 8 sources: The right treats the police visit as a factual development in an unresolved investigation, recounting the relationship's legal history without drawing conclusions about Hickerson's culpability.
Fox News2hHayden Panettiere death: DEA reportedly joins probe into what happened to late star
The Daily Wire1dCops Make Visit Tied To Hayden Panettiere’s Boyfriend
New York Post2hDEA joins Hayden Panettiere's ongoing death investigation
Daily Mail6hRead Brian Hickerson's sinister texts to girlfriend Hayden Panettiere as he breaks cover after star's death: 'Time to go to war'
The Daily Caller8hREPORT: Investigation Into Hayden Panettiere’s Death Takes Dramatic Turn
The Sun6hHayden Panettiere’s boyfriend Brian Hickerson spotted for first time since her death as cops launch criminal probe
The Washington Times11hPolice probe potential criminal conduct in Hayden Panettiere death
The Western Journal11hPolice Report Reveals New Details in Hayden Panettiere's Death: Ex-Boyfriend and 'Very Emotional' Brother Were at SceneWhat’s next: The coroner's office is awaiting further investigation results before ruling on cause and manner of death.
- Police have not named anyone as a suspect or indicated criminal conduct by either brother.
- What medications were in the bag Hickerson gave police, and what role, if any, did they play in Panettiere's death?
- Will investigators seek to interview Brian or Zach Hickerson formally, and on what basis?