Hayden Panettiere Reportedly Took Single Fentanyl-Laced Pill Before Her Death

Actress Hayden Panettiere is believed to have died after taking a single oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation into her sudden death last month.

Panettiere, best known for her roles in “Heroes” and “Nashville,” died Aug. 16 in Greenville, South Carolina, at age 36. Emergency responders found her unresponsive and in cardiac arrest at a residence, and efforts to revive her were unsuccessful. Authorities previously said there were no signs of physical trauma.

Investigators now believe Panettiere obtained black-market prescription drugs from a longtime dealer in Los Angeles before traveling to South Carolina. She is believed to have taken several drugs during the trip before taking what she thought was an oxycodone pill the following morning.

Law enforcement sources say that single pill is suspected of containing fentanyl and causing the fatal overdose. However, authorities have not officially determined Panettiere’s cause of death, and toxicology testing remains pending. The final results could take several more weeks.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is involved in the investigation, which now stretches from South Carolina to California. Investigators are reportedly working to identify the source of the drugs and trace the suspected fentanyl-laced pill back to the person who supplied it.

Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother Zach were present at the residence when she was found unresponsive. Both men spoke with authorities following her death, and neither has been charged in connection with the case.

Panettiere had spoken publicly about her struggles with alcohol and opioid addiction. In interviews and her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” she described being introduced to drugs while still a teenager and later experiencing serious addiction problems as her acting career accelerated.

Her struggles intensified following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014, when Panettiere also experienced postpartum depression. She previously revealed that years of heavy drinking eventually caused serious health problems and that doctors warned her she could die if she did not stop.

The investigation into Panettiere’s death remains active, with authorities awaiting toxicology results and examining where the drugs found in her possession originated. Until those results are completed, the suspected fentanyl-laced oxycodone pill remains an investigative conclusion rather than an officially confirmed cause of death.