Hayden Panettiere‘s body has been released by the coroner’s office less than one week after her death at age 36.
The Greenville Coroner’s Office in South Carolina confirms to Us that the actress’ body was transferred to a mortuary chosen by her family on Tuesday, August 18. The name of the mortuary was not disclosed. (TMZ was first to report.)
News broke on Sunday, August 16, that Panettiere was found dead. Her autopsy was completed one day later.
“On August 16, 2026, at approximately 1:51 PM, a 911 call was received regarding a reported cardiac arrest,” read a statement from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office on Monday, August 17. “First responders and Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene and located a female in cardiac arrest. EMS personnel initiated advanced cardiac life support measures; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at 2:32 PM.”
The coroner’s office “initiated a parallel investigation” with the Greenville City Police Department.
While Panettiere’s cause of death has not yet been confirmed, the autopsy showed “no signs of trauma” that would have contributed to her death.
A police report obtained by Us subsequently revealed that Panettiere’s ex Brian Hickerson and his brother were on the scene at the apartment complex where the Nashville alum was discovered. Hickerson provided a “bag of medication” that Panettiere was “currently on.”
According to the incident report, live-saving measures were performed on Panettiere for “an extended amount of time” before she was pronounced dead. (Dispatch audio previously obtained by People mentioned an “overdose” and “cardiac arrest” around the time of her death.)
Panettiere is survived by her daughter, Kaya, 11, whom she shared with ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko. The former boxer broke his silence in an emotional statement shared via Instagram on Tuesday.
“Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief,” he wrote. “The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon. … To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was.”
Klitschko praised Panettiere’s “immense talent” and shared condolences to her family and fans.
“I ask everyone to please respect our family’s feelings and privacy during this incredibly difficult time. For now, this is all I wish to say. … Rest easy, Hayden. May you find eternal peace. #WeLoveYouHayden,” he added.
The former couple got engaged in 2013 and welcomed Kaya one year later. They went their separate ways in 2018.
Hayden Panettiere shared an update on her relationship with her estranged mom, Lesley Vogel, months before her untimely and shocking death. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a relationship right now,” the Heroes alum exclusively told Us back in 2025. “But that doesn’t mean that I don’t leave the door open for the opportunity to present itself […]
Panettiere moved on with Hickerson, who she dated on and off for several years. According to a source, the pair “pretty much always remained in contact” throughout their tumultuous relationship.
“Hayden had a very hard time cutting Brian out of her life,” the source told Us. “She did it for short periods, but they would eventually reconnect. … She remained very close with his entire family and spoke to them often.”
Earlier this year, Panettiere opened up about her ups and downs with Hickerson — including the abuse she experienced — in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.
“Getting an abusive person out of your life is like trying to rip a weed out that is so entangled into your life, and every time you pull it out another weed pops back up and you’re like, ‘I thought I killed this,’” the Heroes alum told Us in her May cover story. “They always manage to find a way to slither back in, even if you’re an incredibly strong-willed person.”
Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, addressed Hickerson while speaking about her daughter’s death for the first time.
“This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death and that was Brian Hickerson,” she told NBC News on Tuesday. “There is a lot of history in the past that Brian has enabled Hayden many times, and this is why her father and I had been concerned for a long time about him.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
