Hayden Panettiere Exchanged 'Slew of Messages' With Alleged Drug Dealer Before Suspected Overdose Death: Report

Hayden Panettiere reportedly exchanged a "slew of messages" with her drug dealer before she died.

The actress passed away on August 16 at age 36 after taking a pill laced with fentanyl in a Greenville, S.C., apartment, leading to a suspected overdose.

In the week leading up to her death, sources alleged the actress met with her "long-term dealer" in Los Angeles, Calif., before heading across the country.

Sources revealed to TMZ that Panettiere exchanged "specific communications" about purchasing black-market drugs ahead of her trip.

"There are a slew of messages about drugs," one insider claimed, noting the texts are the subject of the Drug Enforcement Administration investigation into her death.

As the investigation continues, authorities are reportedly "zeroing in on a potential drug dealer."

Those who lived near the Ice Princess star claimed they "frequently" saw two young women and a man in his mid-30s visit Panettiere at her West Hollywood home with mysterious bags beginning in 2021.

"They never stayed. They'd just leave," one neighbor claimed.

The trio allegedly rarely spoke with the star, instead letting Panettiere answer the door and grab the bags. It is unclear what the parcels contained.

Per recent reports, a man dropped off a similar package at Panettiere's home bearing the name "Brian" just a week before she passed. It has not been confirmed whether the mysterious package had any relation to Hayden's on-again, off-again boyfriend by the same name.

Panettiere was found unconscious before her death by her on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zach Hickerson. Brian reportedly administered Narcan, a drug used to reverse the effects of an overdose.

The brothers called 911 and directed police to a "bag of medication" Hayden had been ingesting before she was declared dead.

Hayden struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for much of her life. Those close to her said she often rekindled her relationship with Brian as she slipped back into old patterns.

Brian and Hayden began dating in 2018. The star accused him of physical abuse on multiple occasions, even leading to a 45-day prison sentence in 2021.

"That relationship and association had led her down a dark path in the past, so her friends and inner circle were worried for her. There were concerns, and her friends really hoped she was doing OK," one insider previously claimed.

Brian has already met with the D.E.A. for an undisclosed conversation about the investigation. No foul play was suspected.

The actress opened up about her struggles with addiction in her May 2026 memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.

"I started self-harming in the form of substance abuse," she confessed in the book. "My people-pleasing had built up, and up, it was anger and anxiety and frustration."