NEWSHayden Panettiere's Death: Witness Says More Than 6 Federal Agents Entered Actress' Residence With Warrant
Hayden Panettiere's death is being investigated after she passed of a suspected overdose on August 16.
Aug. 27 2026, Published 12:18 p.m. ET
On Tuesday evening, August 25, more than six federal agents executed a search warrant at the West Hollywood residence of late actress Hayden Panettiere. This search took place nine days after she was found dead at age 36 inside a South Carolina residence.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has joined the case, assigning multiple federal agents to look into potential drug involvement.
An eyewitness inside Panettiere's Los Angeles building reported seeing the group of federal agents enter her apartment with the warrant.
Brian Hickerson handed police a bag of medication Hayden Panettiere was taking when they responded to the scene of her death.
When South Carolina authorities first responded to the 911 call on August 16, they executed an initial search warrant and were handed a bag of medication that Panettiere had allegedly been taking.
Authorities have not yet publicly released a final cause or manner of death, pending further investigation and toxicology results.
According to the police report obtained by Us Weekly, Panettiere's abusive on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were on site when the actress died.
'Hayden's Death Remains Under Investigation'
Brian Hickerson's lawyer released a statement after Hayden Panettiere's death.
“Hayden’s death remains under investigation, and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,” Brian’s lawyer Sloan Ellis told the magazine in a statement on Thursday, August 20. “As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.”
In an interview and statement provided to TMZ, Zach stated that his brother Brian administered opioid overdose reversal medicine Narcan to Hayden after they found her unconscious.
Zach stated that he went to visit the couple and found Hayden unconscious on a foldout couch.
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Hayden Panettiere struggled with substance abuse issues throughout most of her life.
After discovering she was in cardiac arrest, Zach placed the call to 911. He noted that Brian administered Narcan while both brothers "jointly performed CPR" while keeping the 911 operator on speakerphone until first responders arrived.
Zach defended his brother against public scrutiny, stating, "There are a lot of assumptions, speculations, and accusations currently swirling. The truth will come out as the authorities complete and release additional details from the investigation." He added that he wanted to clarify his involvement so that those who loved Panettiere could mourn without "noise, chaos, and misinformation."
Hayden Panettiere's on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, admitted to abusing her.
The Nashville actress was exceptionally open about her decades-long battle with opioid and alcohol addiction, a journey she detailed heavily in interviews and her 2026 memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.
The severity of her substance abuse and mental health struggles ultimately led to her heartbreaking decision to relinquish full custody of her daughter to her ex-fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, so she could focus on getting help.
