Hayden Panettiere's cause of death revealed: report

Hayden Panettiere’s cause of death was released on Monday, weeks after the "Nashville" and "Heroes" star died. 

Hayden Panettiere's cause of death

What we know:

According to TMZ, Panettiere is believed to have died after taking an oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl. The outlet reports that she had a longtime drug dealer in Los Angeles who allegedly supplied her with black-market prescription drugs, including oxycodone.

Sources told TMZ that the alleged dealer is now the target of a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation as authorities work to determine his relationship with the actress and trace the fatal pill back to its source.

Toxicology results remain pending, and authorities have not officially confirmed the cause of death. Law enforcement sources told TMZ that the fentanyl-laced pill remains investigators’ working theory.

Dig deeper:

Last month, Panettiere’s preliminary autopsy results were released and found no signs of trauma contributed to her death. 

"First responders and Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene and located a female in cardiac arrest," the Greenville County Coroner’s Office said in a statement at the time. "EMS personnel initiated advanced cardiac life support measures; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at 2:32 PM."

The Greenville County Coroner’s Office and Greenville City Police Department launched parallel investigations into her death.

"At autopsy no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death," the coroner's statement continued. "The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies."

A preliminary investigation into the death of Panettiere found no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances, according to police.

In August, TMZ also reported that the Drug Enforcement Administration had joined the multi-agency investigation, according to TMZ's sources with direct knowledge of the probe. 

Hayden Panettiere dies at 36

Timeline:

Panettiere died on August 16, a day after departing from Los Angeles on a plane with Brian Hickerson, TMZ reported. 

RELATED: Hayden Panettiere's friends and former co-stars share tributes

What they're saying:

"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," Panetierre’s representative told ABC News.

Officers and emergency medical personnel responded to a report of an unresponsive woman at the Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville, South Carolina, shortly before 2 p.m., the Greenville Police Department said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press.

Life-saving measures were performed, but Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the statement.

Police said an acquaintance of the 36-year-old actress called 911 from the apartment complex.

A police report issued on Tuesday, which was heavily redacted, said the responding officer first spoke with Zach Hickerson, who said the woman was his brother Brian’s girlfriend.

After she was declared dead, the officer escorted the brothers out of the apartment. The officer spoke with Brian "more in depth," but the details of that conversation were redacted in the police report. Also redacted was a list of medications that Panettiere had been taking.

"I observed Zach to be very emotional while EMS were working on Hayden. Brian did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased," the officer said.

"The patient did not seem to have any obvious physical reasons to be unresponsive," the officer also noted.

Hayden Panetierre's legacy

The backstory:

In addition to her roles as Claire Bennet on "Heroes" and Juliette Barnes on "Nashville," Panettiere was also in "Remember the Titans" and, "I Love You, Beth Cooper" as well as "Scream IV" and "Scream VI," among dozens of other credits. 

The winner of three Teen Choice Awards, a Grammy Award nominee and a three-time Golden Globe nominee, Panettiere did her own singing on "Nashville" playing opposite Connie Britton for four seasons on ABC. 

What they're saying:

The screen actor's union released a statement saying, "We join in mourning the sudden passing of Hayden Panettiere," SAG-AFTRA said. "Our hearts are with her daughter, family, ‌friends ⁠and fans."

She released a memoir in May, opening up about the custody arrangement involving her 11-year-old daughter, who lives in Ukraine with her father, former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko. In the book, she also discussed her struggles with alcohol addiction and depression.

Panettiere's younger brother, Jansen, died of a heart condition in 2023. He was 28.

 

 

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