Hayden Panettiere’s sudden death in South Carolina has renewed scrutiny of her complicated relationship with Brian Hickerson, the on-and-off partner who reportedly traveled with her from Los Angeles just one day before she was found unresponsive. The trip immediately raised questions about whether Panettiere and Hickerson had quietly reconciled after publicly describing their relationship as a friendship only months earlier.
However, authorities have not accused Hickerson of wrongdoing or connected him to Panettiere’s death. Police have said their preliminary investigation uncovered no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. With Panettiere’s cause of death still undetermined, exactly why the pair traveled to Hickerson’s home state, and what his role was during her final hours, remains unclear.
Panettiere and Hickerson reportedly flew out of Los Angeles together on Saturday, August 15, heading south ahead of what would have been the actress’ 37th birthday. The following afternoon, emergency personnel responded to an apartment at Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville, South Carolina, after receiving a report of an unresponsive woman. First responders attempted to resuscitate Panettiere, but she was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:32 p.m.
The Greenville Police Department later revealed that an “acquaintance” had placed the emergency call. Authorities have not publicly identified that person, and it remains unknown whether Hickerson was at the apartment when Panettiere became unresponsive. “The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances,” police emphasized in a statement.
An autopsy reportedly found no signs of trauma contributing to the actress’ death. The official cause and manner remain pending while investigators await additional test results.
Why Was The Actress In South Carolina?
Panettiere lived and worked primarily in Los Angeles, making her presence in Greenville another unanswered part of the story. Hickerson is originally from South Carolina and reportedly has family in the area. He later relocated to Los Angeles, where he pursued work in real estate and acting before becoming publicly linked to Panettiere in 2018.
The two were reportedly traveling to South Carolina to celebrate Panettiere’s upcoming birthday. However, neither Hickerson nor Panettiere’s family has publicly explained their plans or identified who owned or rented the Greenville apartment where she died. The available reporting also does not establish whether Greenville was their final destination or simply one stop during the trip.
Although Hickerson has been described in several reports as Panettiere’s “on-again, off-again boyfriend,” the pair’s actual relationship status before her death was less clear.
Brian Hickerson’s History With Hayden Panettiere
Panettiere began dating Hickerson in 2018 following the end of her engagement to former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she shared her daughter, Kaya. The new relationship soon became engulfed in legal trouble.
Hickerson was arrested in 2019 following an alleged domestic violence incident involving Panettiere. That case was later dismissed after prosecutors said they could not secure a material witness. In 2020, he was arrested again and charged in connection with multiple alleged incidents involving the actress.
Hickerson pleaded no contest in April 2021 to two felony counts of injuring a spouse, cohabitant or girlfriend. The remaining charges against him were dismissed as part of the resolution. He received a 45-day jail sentence, four years of formal probation, 52 domestic violence classes, $500 in restitution, and a five-year protective order.
Panettiere nevertheless began spending time with Hickerson again after his release from jail. A source said at the time that the actress had not forgotten what happened but wanted to forgive him and move forward. The two continued to be seen together over the following years, although they reportedly ended their romantic relationship in 2022.
Hickerson Admitted To Abusing The Actress
Panettiere revisited the relationship in her 2026 memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” offering a detailed account of the abuse she said she endured. Rather than denying his past behavior, Hickerson publicly admitted his actions.
“I got arrested for, you know, abusing her, and I wouldn’t blame her friends for being pissed off at me,” he told TMZ while discussing the book. “You got to be vulnerable and, you know, I did it. I did it.”
Hickerson also acknowledged that drugs and alcohol contributed to what he described as an extremely “dark place” during their relationship.
One memoir passage recalled Hickerson threatening Panettiere with a phone during a drunken confrontation. He admitted asking her not to include that story but ultimately supported her decision to publish it.
Panettiere previously said she hoped telling the truth about the relationship could help others recognize abuse and seek assistance. Her willingness to reconnect with Hickerson did not erase what happened, nor did it mean that she no longer held him accountable.
Questions Remain About Their Final Trip
Hickerson’s history with Panettiere makes his return to her life noteworthy, particularly because the pair traveled together shortly before her death. It does not, however, establish that he played any role in what happened.
Police have not identified the acquaintance who called 911, confirmed Hickerson’s whereabouts that afternoon or publicly described who else may have been inside the apartment. They have also found no preliminary evidence of foul play or suspicious circumstances.
Until investigators release Panettiere’s official cause of death and additional details about her final hours, her relationship status with Hickerson, and the reason they traveled together to South Carolina, remains unresolved.
