Hayden Panettiere boyfriend dealt huge legal blow days before star's death

The Nashville star's on-off beau had a court appearance just three days before she died.

Share Article Bookmark

[Add as a preferred source on Google] Add us as preferred source Comments

By Fran Winston, Showbiz Reporter

13:16, Tue, Aug 18, 2026 Updated: 13:31, Tue, Aug 18, 2026

Heroes and Nashville actress Hayden Panettiere dead aged 36

Hayden Panettiere 's on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson had suffered a huge legal blow just days before the star's death at the age of 36. The pair were reconciled at the time of her death and were spotted jetting out of Los Angeles on Saturday, August 15, the day before the tragedy. Despite this public outing, the couple had reportedly been keeping their reunion under wraps to protect her career, and it is unknown if he was with her when she died.

On Thursday, August 13, Judge Olivia Rosales denied Brian's request to have his past felony domestic violence charges reduced to misdemeanours, as well as his request to expunge the convictions. The Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office confirmed the ruling to Page Six. In April 2021, he pleaded guilty to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend following a string of incidents involving Hayden between May 2019 and January 2020.

[Hayden Panettiere Appearing On 'Good Morning America']

Actress Hayden Panettiere died at the age of 36 (Image: Getty)

Brian had originally faced an eight-count criminal case. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail, ultimately serving 33, along with four years of probation, mandatory domestic violence classes and a five-year restraining order.

Emergency services said an "acquaintance" of the star had made a call for a person in "cardiac arrest" before they arrived at Scream star's home on Sunday, August 16. They responded to the report of an unresponsive woman at Judson Mill Lofts on Easley Bridge Road, South Carolina at 1:51 pm.

Police confirmed the mum-of-one died at the scene as they told television station WYFF4: "Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

"The case is under investigation by the Greenville Police Department in conjunction with the Greenville County Coroners Office. The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances," they said.

[Hayden Panettiere and Brian Hickerson holding hands walking down the street at night]

Hayden Panettiere's boyfriend Brian Hickerson was dealt a blow days before her death (Image: Getty)

Preliminary autopsy results have revealed further details about her cause of death. The Greenville County Coroner's Office said in a statement that their findings discovered no signs of trauma that contributed to her death. It read: "First responders and Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene and located a female in cardiac arrest.

"EMS personnel initiated advanced cardiac life support measures; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at 2.32pm." Shortly after her death, the Greenville County Coroner's Office and the Greenville City Police Department launched parallel investigations into her passing.

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

"This investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details are available for release at this time," the coroner's office added. Panettiere's father asked for privacy "as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss."