Hayden Panettiere dies at 36: The bitter underside of a 'Heroes' star — fentanyl and other drug addiction

A tragedy caused by the combined effects of drugs, casting a shadow behind the bright spotlight

Actress 'Hayden Panettiere', 36, who rose to global fame through the hit American television series 'Heroes' and 'Nashville', died an accidental death, officials have concluded.

The New York Times reported Friday, citing the Greenville County Coroner's Office in South Carolina, that the cause of death for the actress, who died last month, was the combined effects of several drugs, including 'fentanyl'.

According to investigators and autopsy findings, more than four drugs were detected in her body, including the potentially fatal opioid fentanyl; the anti-anxiety drug 'alprazolam' (the generic version of Xanax); the muscle relaxant 'methocarbamol' (the generic version of Robaxin); and 'quetiapine', which is used to treat bipolar disorder and depression. Experts said acute cardiac arrest brought on by taking these powerful drugs together was the direct cause of death.

The revelation that her boyfriend, 'Brian Hickerson', who had a history of dating violence, was at the scene when she died fueled widespread speculation. The coroner's office, however, said it found no injuries suggesting foul play and no indication that a crime was involved, dismissing conspiracy theories.

In 2020, the actress appeared on ABC's flagship program 'Good Morning America' and publicly accused Hickerson of violence for the first time. In her memoir, 'This Is Me: Reckoning', published in May this year, she described in unvarnished detail the brutal abuse she suffered at his hands. Hickerson, the alleged perpetrator, was indicted on 'seven charges', including inflicting injury on a woman and witness tampering, and pleaded guilty to two of them before receiving a probation sentence.

The tragedy also fueled a range of suspicions because it occurred just three months after the actress exposed the deeply rooted reality of 'drug addiction' among child actors in Hollywood and a 'sexual harassment and sex-for-favors' cartel involving celebrities.

Her family and representatives responded forcefully. In an official statement, they criticized those who had never even met the actress for irresponsibly exploiting her tragic death for shallow gossip and speculation, saying, "If you have credible evidence, report it immediately to law enforcement instead of misleading public opinion on social media."

'Hayden Panettiere' shot to stardom with her acclaimed portrayal of Claire Bennet, a cheerleader with an immortal's ability to regenerate her body, in the megahit 'Heroes', which followed the stories of people with superpowers. She later demonstrated her depth as an actress in 'Nashville', playing Juliette Barnes, a country music star whose life was marked by hardship. 'Heroes' also aired on a South Korean terrestrial television channel in 2007, making her a familiar and widely beloved actress among fans there.