South Carolina Closes Investigation into Hayden Panettiere’s Death
South Carolina authorities close probe into actor Hayden Panettiere’s accidental overdose death following coroner’s ruling.
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South Carolina authorities have closed their investigation into the accidental overdose death of actor Hayden Panettiere, according to a statement from Greenville police. The decision followed a coroner’s ruling that her death was unintentional, citing an overdose of multiple drugs, including fentanyl.
Death and Background
Panettiere, known for her roles in ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville,’ was found unresponsive in her Greenville apartment on August 16, 2026, at the age of 36. Paramedics declared her dead at the scene. A coroner’s report obtained by The Associated Press earlier this month confirmed the cause of death as an accidental overdose, with the actor having recently completed rehab.
Legal and Property Issues
The case remains under review by federal authorities, as her ex-fiancé, former boxer Wladimir Klitschko, filed a petition in a California court last month. He claimed some of her property had been seized by federal law enforcement agents investigating her death, as well as by an unnamed relative attempting to sell it. The court recently granted Klitschko legal authority to protect Panettiere’s assets for their 11-year-old daughter, who is her sole heir.
Personal Struggles
In her memoir, ‘This Is Me: A Reckoning,’ published in May 2026, Panettiere openly discussed her struggles with alcohol addiction and postpartum depression after giving birth to her daughter in 2014. The child moved in with Klitschko full-time when she was two years old. Panettiere’s father told investigators she had plans to visit her daughter in Ukraine shortly before her death.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration did not respond to requests for comment, and Greenville police Sgt. Diana Munoz stated she could not confirm whether other agencies were involved in the case.
Source: OANN
