Brian Hickerson, the on-off boyfriend of late actress Hayden Panettiere, sent flirty text messages to a woman in South Carolina months before Panettiere died.
Page Six reported on Thursday that Hickerson exchanged text messages and Instagram direct messages with a 26-year-old woman in Greenville, South Carolina, between March and April. The revelation comes less than two weeks after Panettiere was found dead on August 16 at a residence in Greenville from a suspected drug overdose.
The Daily Mail reached out to attorneys for Hickerson and representatives for Panettiere for comment, but has not yet received a response.
The woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she first crossed paths with Hickerson on March 28 at Cat's Pajamas, a bar in Greenville. She said she had been heavily intoxicated at the time and did not remember much of that night.
On March 29, Hickerson followed her Instagram page from his since-deactivated account under the handle @brianhickerson_. A message sent from his account read: "Great meeting you last night pretty lady. I owe you a date. I'm heading to [C]ity Tavern for a slushie in a bit you should join."
It remains unclear what the relationship status was between Panettiere and Hickerson at the time. Page Six reported it could not determine whether there was any overlap, noting that the pair had been photographed together on March 2 at Los Angeles International Airport.
The woman told Page Six she had no knowledge of Hickerson or his link to Panettiere, an American actress known for starring as cheerleader Claire Bennet in the NBC drama Heroes. Text messages sent to a friend at the time supported her statement.
Initial meeting at a Greenville bar
On April 1, the woman replied to Hickerson explaining her limited memory of the evening. She wrote: "Hey Brian! I'm sorry I missed this - I'm awful with my inbox. I have to be so honest, I don't remember much of that night. What happened?"
She added: "I'm sorry I missed your slushy invite but I for sure would not have made it. Today is the first day I've had a clear mind since Saturday night."
Hickerson told her she did not seem too drunk and said he had gone out because his brother was in town. He claimed she had asked him to take her somewhere nice on a date, which he said "clearly throws Waffle House out the window," and suggested upscale steakhouse Halls Chophouse in Greenville.
Flirty messages and restaurant plans
Hickerson wrote that he had "just moved here from Los Angeles so it was nice meeting a pretty girl in Greenville out of the blue." He added: "I also realized after I reached out on instagram you gave me your number so I'll shoot you a text if that's better."
The woman asked what part of the club they met in and how old he was, noting she was 25 at the time. She stated she preferred to "meet properly" and would not dine at Waffle House until "the 12th-ish date." Hickerson called Waffle House a "very intimate" place for a first date and said they had met "in the middle of the dance floor."
Hickerson, who has since turned 37, joked about his age: "I'm 36 but I read on a 25 year old level. Is that a deal breaker?" The woman sent an amused emoji and suggested visiting the upscale restaurant first, before dining at Waffle House after knowing each other for a while.
Hickerson said he found her "just as adorable" as when they met and asked where she was from. He explained he was "ten vodka sodas deep" and mistakenly thought she had said Alabama. After she clarified she was from Greenville, Hickerson said he grew up in Greenville as well and asked where she went to school.
Unanswered messages and breaking contact
The woman said she stopped corresponding and lost interest due to the age difference and her lack of memory about their encounter. Hickerson sent unanswered texts on April 2 and April 4.
On April 4, Hickerson texted: "Im gonna be out of town for work till next Monday. So how about we shoot for halls mid week?" That same day, he replied to an Instagram Story she posted offering to attend Easter Sunday services with anyone who had no one to go with, writing: "Goodness you must be reading my mind haha I was gonna skip tomorrow because it was just me. Where do you go?"
Hickerson sent his final text on April 14, writing: "Hey hey, I'm back in town this week. When am I taking you to hall's?" The woman did not respond.
The woman said the next time she heard his name was when news broke of Panettiere's death. "I vaguely remembered the name and began looking through my direct messages," she said. "The possibility that I had unknowingly become connected to a high-profile relationship, especially in these unfortunate circumstances, was beyond my comprehension."
She added that Hickerson never spoke about his relationship with Panettiere, and that she only learned about his past domestic abuse convictions after the actress died.
History of domestic violence convictions
Hickerson and Panettiere had been linked since 2018 in a tumultuous relationship involving domestic abuse convictions. In April 2021, Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of domestic abuse following a plea agreement after an initial July 2020 arrest in Los Angeles on eight counts of domestic violence, including assault with a deadly weapon, battery, and corporal injury.
He was sentenced to 45 days in jail and four years of probation, and was ordered to complete domestic violence classes. The other charges were dropped, and Panettiere was issued a five-year protective order that expired earlier this year.
In a 2020 statement, Panettiere said she came forward with the truth "in the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve." In her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, she wrote: "I never wanted to call myself a victim, but here I am." She detailed "seven years of mental illness, addiction, rage, abuse and pain," writing: "You never forget the first time someone slaps you nor do you forget the last.. the slaps become hits."
In May, Hickerson spoke to TMZ about instances of abuse detailed in her memoir. "I got arrested for abusing her, and I wouldn't blame her friends for being pissed off with me, so I don't really have much to say on that," he said. "You never lay hands on a woman, bottom line."
Hickerson recounted an incident from the memoir where he threatened to throw a phone at her while drunk, admitting he was in a "dark place" involving drugs and alcohol. He added: "Good God, almighty, she’s five foot two on paper, four-foot-11 in real life. I mean, come on." During a May book promotion at a Manhattan Barnes & Noble, sources said Panettiere instructed venue staff to keep Hickerson away.
Ongoing investigation into Panettiere's death
Panettiere was declared deceased on August 16 at a residence in Greenville after emergency responders received a report of an unresponsive female following a suspected drug overdose. Officials attempted lifesaving measures before declaring her dead. Authorities confirmed there were no signs of trauma or foul play, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Her father, Skip Panettiere, announced her passing in a statement: "It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her - and to the millions who watched her onscreen. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss."
On August 20, Hickerson's attorney Sloan Ellis issued a statement: "Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed. As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time."
