Hayden Panettiere’s relationship with her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson continues to be explored in light of her shocking death.
It has been confirmed that Hickerson was on the scene in the South Carolina home where the actress was found unresponsive and confirmed dead.
Now, resurfaced texts give insight into the domestic battery incidents that plagued their tumultuous relationship years back.
In court documents obtained, it has been revealed that following his February 2020 arrest for domestic battery, Hickerson continued to threaten Panettiere.
At the time, Wyoming law enforcement officials detained him after he dealt a closed fist blow to the “Bring It On” star’s face in an Airbnb. Hickerson was reportedly inebriated and locked outside the property when they arrived, while Panettiere had a swollen face.
A probable cause affidavit from the criminal case showed that the actress’ lawyer reported that Hickerson continued to contact Panettiere via text despite a court order. In one of the screenshots, according to TMZ, he wrote, “Time to go to war, I guess.”
Another message excerpt read, “Even if I sit in a jail cell for ten years. All of the stuff that is vaulted overseas with my people will come out the second I step foot into prison. And all that does is hurt your name while simultaneously clearing my name.”
Hickerson Tried To Intimidate Panettiere, Prosecutors Say
Hickerson refused to back down, vowing to “start firing off emails” in one alleged message while urging the now-late actress to give him a call.
Prosecutors presented the texts as evidence he was trying to intimidate and blackmail Panettiere into dropping the case. Hickerson was sentenced to a year behind bars, but it was later reduced to a year of probation.
The Wyoming incident came months after Hickerson was booked for domestic violence in California, but the charges were dropped after the actress refused to testify.
The contentious exes reconciled in 2022, two years after the string of assaults, with the “Ice Princess” star declaring she had forgiven Hickerson.
Brian Hickerson’s Reaction To Hayden Panettiere’s Death Revealed
The resurfaced text messages are making waves in light of chilling revelations about the circumstances surrounding the former child star’s passing.
The Blast confirmed that Panettiere spent her final hours in the company of Hickerson and his brother Zach, who were present on the scene.
According to the police incident report, the siblings discovered the actress unconscious inside the South Carolina property and called authorities immediately.
Details reveal Zach appeared quite “emotional” as first responders tried to resuscitate the “Nashville” actress but to no avail. During the attempt, Hickerson was said to appear unmoved by his girlfriend’s “overdose” until she was pronounced dead at 2:32 pm when he reacted.
He also reportedly presented a bag of medication to the police, saying it belonged to Panettiere.
The ‘Heroes’ Star Kept Hickerson Reunion A Secret From Close Circle
With their fraught history and the extenuating circumstances of the actress’s death, Panettiere’s loved ones are now probing Hickerson’s return into her life.
After years of breaking up and making up, the pair sparked reconciliation chatter in March when the beloved star was seen using crutches to deal with back issues.
According to insiders, the move caught her inner circle by surprise. “If Brian was back in her life, then it was something she was hiding because she wasn’t speaking about it with many of her friends,” said the source, per The Blast.
As for why she might have kept the relationship hidden, the informant noted Panettiere might have felt “shame” and couldn’t be open with her family and friends.
What Hayden Panettiere’s Mom Said About Brian Hickerson
As her loved ones continue to seek answers, Panettiere’s mom, Lesley Vogel, has since spoken up, seemingly pointing accusing fingers at her daughter’s partner.
In her first public statement, Vogel got candid about how the pressures of Panettiere being a child star contributed to her life struggles.
Admitting that young entertainers often end up on “the wrong path,” Vogel said she found solace that Panettiere is “at peace” and reunited with her brother. Jansen Panettiere died in February 2023 due to heart complications. He was only 28.
As The Blast reported, the matriarch then commented on the circumstances of her daughter’s demise, saying, “This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson.”
