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Millions were shocked on Sunday by the news that actress Hayden Panettiere had passed away at the age of 36.
Amid widespread speculation about the cause of Panettiere’s death, new details are emerging about her final hours.
And while this detail has yet to be confirmed, many are convinced that at the time of her death, Hayden was in the company of her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson.
Hickerson is a native of South Carolina, and he and Panettiere flew into Greenville from Los Angeles the day before her death.
It’s unclear if he was the one who discovered her body and called 911, but it seems likely that he was her reason for being on the East Coast.
The pair met in 2018 after he moved to LA to try to make it as an actor.
According to Page Six, Hickerson found minimal success, and his “limited acting credits” include an appearance in the 2017 thriller film M.F.A.
In the early years of their relationship, Hickerson was arrested twice for allegedly assaulting Panettiere.
According to a police report from 2019, Hayden told police that Brian struck her “with a closed fist on the right side of her face.”
The following year, she was granted a restraining order against him. In 2023, Panettiere hinted that she and Hickerson had reconciled.
In an interview with TMZ from May (above), Hickerson described Hayden as “the most talented person I’ve ever met.”
He added that “it doesn’t matter who you spend Saturday night with,” explaining that it’s more important “who you spend all day Sunday with.”
Many have noted that that remark has taken on a macabre tone now that Hayden passed away on a Sunday.
Her passing was confirmed last night by her father and her publicist.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” Skip Panettiere said in a statement provided by her representative.
“There’s an investigation ongoing,” publicist Kasey Kitchen said in a statement.
Our thoughts go out to Hayden’s loved ones during this enormously difficult time.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.