Police Close Probe, Rule Hayden Panettiere’s Death Accidental

WHO:

BBC News - Hayden Panettiere was an American actress who starred in “Heroes” and “Nashville.”

CNN - Panettiere was 36 years old.

CNN - The Greenville Police Department and Greenville County Coroner’s Office investigated her death.

CNN - Two men who found Panettiere were later identified by police as her boyfriend and his brother.

CNN - The Greenville County Coroner’s Office determined her death was accidental.

WHAT:

CNN - Greenville police closed their investigation after the death was ruled accidental.

CNN - Police said: “Based on the (coroner’s office’s) determination and the findings of the investigation, Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled accidental. The Greenville Police Department has concluded its investigation.”

BBC News - Panettiere died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, Xanax and several other drugs.

CNN - Authorities said she died from a toxic mix of the opioid fentanyl and other drugs.

CNN - Medics were unable to resuscitate Panettiere after she was found in cardiac arrest.

CNN - A coroner’s report said she was found face down, sitting with her legs crossed, on a sofa bed; she was purple.

CNN - One of the men gave her two doses of Narcan and called 911 after she remained unresponsive.

CNN - One man told investigators he did not know she had used illegal drugs in recent days and said, “she was very good at hiding them.”

CNN - Panettiere had publicly discussed early fame, mental-health challenges and addiction; she also wrote a memoir and spoke publicly about losing her brother.

CNN - Her latest film was released in January.

WHERE:

CNN - Panettiere was pronounced dead at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina; the apartment was an Airbnb.

CNN - Investigators examined whether she obtained illicit or possibly counterfeit drugs from a dealer in Southern California.

WHEN:

BBC News - The articles describe her death as occurring in August.

CNN - She was pronounced dead on August 16.

CNN - The coroner’s office ruled her death accidental “last month”; the article says police announced the investigation’s closure “Wednesday.”

CNN - Authorities described the toxic drug mix in September.

WHY:

BBC News - The stated cause of death was the toxic effects of fentanyl, Xanax and several other drugs.

CNN - The death was classified as accidental based on the coroner’s determination and the findings of the police investigation.

(UPDATED October 28, 2026 22:03 UTC)

Actress Hayden Panettiere, known for “Heroes” and “Nashville,” died at 36 from the toxic effects of fentanyl, Xanax and other drugs. She was found in cardiac arrest at an Airbnb in Greenville, South Carolina, and medics were unable to revive her. The coroner ruled her death accidental, and Greenville police have closed their investigation.