Convicted felon Brian Hickerson grinned during a resurfaced interview while describing domestic abuse against actress Hayden Panettiere, recorded three months before her sudden death at age 36 in Greenville, South Carolina.
Panettiere, who would have turned 37 on August 21, was found unresponsive by officers and paramedics at a rented Airbnb apartment block on Sunday before being pronounced dead at the scene following a suspected overdose.
The actress had flown from Los Angeles to South Carolina, where Hickerson is from, one day before her death, according to police reports released on Tuesday.
Scene at the South Carolina Airbnb
Police officers reported that Hickerson, 37, and his brother Zach were present in the apartment when Panettiere died. An officer at the scene noted that Zach was very emotional, while Hickerson displayed no emotion as emergency medical services declared the actress dead.
Hickerson subsequently showed police officers a bag of medication that Panettiere had been taking prior to her death. The Greenville County Coroner's Office stated that the cause of death remains under official investigation.
Audio recordings of the 911 call from the apartment revealed that a dispatcher described the situation as a cardiac arrest. Sources told TMZ that Narcan, a nasal spray medication used to treat opioid overdoses, was found on a mattress inside the property.
Panettiere is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whom she welcomed during her relationship with former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, 50.
Resurfaced Interview and Phone Threat
In a May interview with TMZ, Hickerson spoke about the domestic violence incidents that occurred during their relationship and described watching Panettiere recount the abuse in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.
Hickerson revealed there was one specific incident he requested she exclude from the book, though she ultimately retained it. "There's a story where I was drunk, right? Hayden was standing across the room and I had a phone in my hand, and I said, 'Hayden, I'll give you ten seconds to run as fast as you can before I throw it at you,'" he recalled.
"Who wants to read something about themselves like that, right?" Hickerson asked, before adding with a broad smile: "I did it. I did it."
Hickerson described the memoir as incredible, adding: "My biggest thing, I wasn't taught early enough what domestic violence was. If I was at an early enough age, maybe I wouldn't have done what I did."
He also stated he had a couple of opportunities to apologize to Panettiere, saying: "You never lay hands on a woman. Bottom line."
History of Domestic Violence Arrests
Panettiere and Hickerson maintained an on-again, off-again relationship between 2018 and 2022 that was repeatedly marked by domestic violence incidents and law enforcement intervention. The actress was struggling with substance abuse when they began dating, shortly after she wrapped production on the sixth and final season of the television series Nashville.
Their relationship turned violent in May 2019 when Hickerson was arrested following an incident with Panettiere and charged with domestic violence. Panettiere was granted a protective order before those charges were eventually dropped.
Hickerson was arrested again on Valentine's Day in 2020 for allegedly punching Panettiere, entering a plea of not guilty at the time. Speaking about the incident in May, he said: "I had a lot to drink, and I got physical with her, and I got arrested, spent the night in jail. That's just what happens when you lay hands on women."
In July 2020, Hickerson was arrested again in connection with eight domestic violence charges. In April 2021, he entered a no-contest plea to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend, with the remaining charges dismissed. He was sentenced to 45 days in county jail and served 13 days the following month.
Panettiere's Statements and Bar Brawl
Following his July 2020 arrest, Panettiere issued a public statement hoping to empower others in similar circumstances. "I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me in the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve," she stated at the time. "I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again."
Two years later, Panettiere told People magazine she continued to feel the same way about her statement, adding: "None of it is OK. But I want to make sure that everybody knows that each person who goes through something like that, they're on their own journey. No two things are exactly alike."
The actress also addressed a 2022 physical altercation at the Sunset Marquis in Los Angeles involving the pair and other patrons. TMZ reported Hickerson sparked the fight by spitting on a customer, whereas a representative for Panettiere told People that Hickerson had commented to an individual about leaving a poor tip for a waitress.
Panettiere noted she was trying to live in a place of understanding regarding Hickerson's past charges, stating: "I think Brian has done his time and was willing to get help. I think about the things I have done in my life that people forgave me for. Making amends is a really important thing that you learn in treatment."
Marriage Claims and Expungement Denial
Although the pair had separated, Hickerson stated in May that their relationship had evolved into friendship, though he added: "I miss Hayden every day." Asked by TMZ if he ever considered marrying the Heroes star, he replied: "Yeah, of course... I hope so - she probably doesn't think the same way."
Hickerson conceded a romantic reunion was unlikely, stating: "I think that Hayden is one of the most talented people I've ever met in my life, and I would be an idiot not to walk away from her and let her flourish in her career. So, we probably wouldn't be good together."
When approached by TMZ at Los Angeles International Airport regarding Hickerson's marriage comments, Panettiere responded with a small laugh: "I don't think that's going to happen."
On August 13, just three days before Panettiere was found dead, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Olivia Rosales denied a petition filed by Hickerson to expunge his criminal record of domestic abuse charges involving the actress.
Following Panettiere's death, video of Hickerson's May interview resurfaced on social media, prompting strong criticism from fans. One social media user wrote: "I have never seen anyone speak so casually about abusing their girlfriend. It's nauseating. I loved Hayden Panettiere in Nashville. One of my favorite shows. May she finally find the peace she could never find in this life."
The Daily Mail reached out repeatedly to Brian Hickerson for comment regarding the resurfaced interview and the events surrounding Panettiere's death, but received no response.
