South Carolina authorities have closed their investigation into the overdose death of actor Hayden Panettiere, following a coroner’s determination that the cause was accidental. The Greenville Police Department announced the decision on Wednesday, citing the medical examiner’s findings and the results of their inquiry.
Panettiere, known for her roles in television series such as “Heroes” and “Nashville,” was found unresponsive by paramedics in an apartment in Greenville on August 16. She was pronounced dead at the age of 36. A coroner’s report released last month indicated that Panettiere died from an accidental overdose involving several substances, including fentanyl. Prior to her death, she had recently undergone rehabilitation.
At the time of the incident, Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were present at the residence. While local police have concluded their investigation, it is not clear if federal authorities continue to examine the case. Panettiere’s ex-fiancé, former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko, filed a petition in a California court last month revealing that federal law enforcement agents and an unidentified individual were in possession of some of Panettiere’s belongings as part of a separate inquiry.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has not provided comment, and Greenville Police Sergeant Diana Munoz declined to address whether other agencies remain involved. The California court recently granted Klitschko legal authority to safeguard Panettiere’s property on behalf of their 11-year-old daughter, her only heir.
Panettiere was candid about her struggles in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” published in May. She spoke openly about her battles with alcohol addiction and postpartum depression following her daughter’s birth in 2014. The child has lived full-time with Klitschko since age two. Investigators learned from Panettiere’s father that she had intended to travel to Ukraine to visit her daughter just days before her passing.