Federal authorities investigating the death of actress Hayden Panettiere are focusing their inquiry on Los Angeles, specifically examining whether the performer obtained nonprescription pills from a local dealer.
Drug Enforcement Administration agents and local investigators are reportedly questioning individuals concerning the circumstances surrounding Panettiere's death on August 16. The focus is on her alleged ingestion of counterfeit oxycodone prior to her passing in a Greenville, South Carolina apartment. Such counterfeit pills are frequently found to be laced with fentanyl, a substance potent enough to be lethal in minimal quantities.
This investigation reportedly draws parallels to probes into the deaths of actor Matthew Perry and rapper Mac Miller, both of which resulted in criminal charges against their respective drug suppliers. While TMZ reported investigators are exploring a theory that Panettiere consumed a pill containing fentanyl, the Greenville County coroner has stated that toxicology testing is still pending, and no official cause or manner of death has been determined.
Paramedics and law enforcement discovered Panettiere in cardiac arrest, according to the coroner's office. Dispatch audio recordings indicate a potential overdose and the administration of CPR. Narcan was reportedly administered, and resuscitation efforts were undertaken by paramedics. Panettiere was pronounced deceased at 2:31 p.m.
Brian Hickerson, Panettiere's longtime boyfriend who was present at the scene, provided authorities with a bag of medications. Panettiere resided in Los Angeles, while Hickerson is a native of Greenville. Sloan Ellis, an attorney for Hickerson, issued a statement acknowledging the ongoing investigation and emphasizing the importance of allowing it to conclude, noting that police have publicly confirmed no signs of foul play.
In previous high-profile cases involving Matthew Perry and Mac Miller, prosecutors successfully prosecuted individuals who supplied Perry with ketamine and Miller with cocaine and fentanyl-laced oxycodone pills. The investigation into Perry's death led to guilty pleas from his assistant, two doctors, a producer, and an individual identified as the "Ketamine Queen."
