Nearly a month after Hayden Panettiere’s sudden death at just 36 years old, her family finally has some clarity about what happened, though questions remain.
A coroner has ruled Panettiere’s death an accidental overdose involving fentanyl and several other drugs after the Nashville star was found unresponsive at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, in August. But that finding hasn’t closed the case: Police are still investigating, and federal authorities are trying to determine where the fentanyl came from.
Here’s what we know about Panettiere’s cause of death, the questions investigators are still trying to answer, and how those closest to her are remembering her.
What was Hayden Panettiere’s cause of death?
Panettiere died from the toxic effects of several drugs in her system, according to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office. They included fentanyl and 4-ANPP, a chemical associated with the powerful opioid, as well as alprazolam (better known as Xanax), the muscle relaxer methocarbamol, and quetiapine, a medication commonly used to treat conditions including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Paramedics were called to Panettiere’s apartment last month and spent more than 40 minutes trying to resuscitate her before she was pronounced dead. An autopsy found no signs of trauma that could have contributed to her death, Greenville County Coroner Mike Ellis said.
A police report released shortly after her death noted that Panettiere was taking several medications, but their names were redacted at the time, fueling speculation about what may have happened. Her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, was also at the residence at the time, according to law enforcement.
Panettiere had written openly about her history with addiction. In her 2026 memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, she recalled being given “happy pills” by a member of her team at age 16 before a press event — an experience she described as a gateway to “the good of pharmaceuticals and the downfall of addiction.”
She also dealt with a number of injuries over the years. In an interview with Women’s Health, Panettiere recalled being thrown from a zebra while filming Racing Stripes and repeatedly falling while learning to figure skate for Ice Princess. At one point, she said, two vertebrae in her neck were “smashed.”
Is Hayden Panettiere’s death still being investigated?
Even though the coroner has ruled Panettiere’s death accidental, police say there are still unanswered questions surrounding the case.
The Greenville Police Department confirmed Tuesday that its investigation remains open. “Our detectives will continue to follow leads and gather information as we work toward resolving this case,” the department said in a statement.
Kasey Kitchen, a publicist for Panettiere’s family, also told The Associated Press that “the investigation is still ongoing and the case is complex.”
One of the biggest remaining questions is where the drugs came from in the first place. The Drug Enforcement Administration has joined the investigation and is looking into whether the fentanyl originated in South Carolina or whether Panettiere may have brought it with her from California, sources told ABC News. She flew from Los Angeles to South Carolina the day before her death, according to the outlet.
Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, made clear that the death being ruled accidental hasn’t changed her family’s push for answers. “Hayden was a fighter,” she said in a statement Tuesday, pointing to her daughter’s openness about her addiction and repeated attempts at rehab. (It’s worth noting that the two had a complicated relationship and were estranged at the time of Panettiere’s death.) Vogel added that the finding that Panettiere died from an accidental overdose doesn’t “exonerate the supplier of this lethal dose.”
“The loss of Hayden is palpable; grief permeates the soul, and it will live with those who loved her forever,” she said. “Everything moving forward will be healing, but the mission is and will always be justice for Hayden.”
Remembering Hayden Panettiere’s life and career
Panettiere was honored over the weekend at a memorial service in Malibu, California, her representative confirmed to ABC News. Around 80 friends gathered Saturday for an evening of “music, memories, laughter, and tears.”
Her Nashville co-star, Connie Britton, attended with other celebrities like Evan Ross and Ruby Rose. Britton and fellow Nashville star Charles Esten gave speeches during the service, and Esten performed one of Panettiere’s songs from the show. Doves were also released outside the church in her memory.
“We wanted to honor Hayden in the best way we knew how — with as much love as possible,” Panettiere’s representative, Kasey Kitchen, said in a joint statement with friends Sanoe Lake, Allie Beattie, and Emily Buckingham, who helped organize the event.
