New details have emerged in the investigation into Hayden Panettiere’s death, with law enforcement sources now telling TMZ that investigators believe the actress may have taken an oxycodone pill contaminated with fentanyl shortly before she died.
According to TMZ, investigators are examining Panettiere’s connection to a Los Angeles-based drug dealer who allegedly supplied her with black-market prescription medication. Authorities are reportedly attempting to determine whether that person supplied the pill believed to have caused her death. Toxicology results have not yet officially established the cause.
DEA Investigates Possible Source of the Fatal Pill
Panettiere was found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 16, shortly before her 37th birthday. An autopsy reportedly found no signs of trauma that contributed to her death, while the coroner said the investigation remained active and ongoing.
TMZ’s sources claim Panettiere had obtained several drugs before traveling from Los Angeles to South Carolina. Investigators reportedly believe she took an oxycodone pill on the morning of her death and are examining whether it contained fentanyl. The DEA is now involved in the investigation in both Los Angeles and South Carolina as authorities work to trace the suspected pill’s origin.
Panettiere’s boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, was at the residence when she was found unresponsive and reportedly administered Narcan before emergency responders arrived. PEOPLE reported that Hickerson has also spoken with the DEA as part of the investigation, although he has not been named a suspect.
Despite the latest reports, investigators have not publicly confirmed that fentanyl caused Panettiere’s death. TMZ specifically noted that its law enforcement sources consider the fentanyl-laced oxycodone theory a working theory while awaiting toxicology results.
The investigation therefore remains ongoing, with authorities focused on determining what drugs Panettiere took, where they came from and whether anyone can be held responsible for supplying them. No individual has been publicly charged in connection with her death at this stage.
