Investigators are piecing together the final movements and timeline leading up to the unexpected death of 36-year-old actress Hayden Panettiere in Greenville, South Carolina. She was found dead on August 16 and it’s important to note no arrests have been announced in connection with her death.
A Widening Investigation
On Thursday, Jesse Weber revisited the case on Law&Crime’s Sidebar with retired detective and law enforcement instructor Matt Irvine. They discussed the newly released police reports, dispatch audio and why the investigation appears to be widening.
Irvine said investigators will be looking in two directions.
Why Is The DEA Involved?
Jesse questioned why the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) would join a local death investigation. Matt Irvine explained that federal agencies typically step in when suspected overdose cases intersect with existing targets.
He said, “the DEA typically does not get involved in cases that appear to be suspected overdoses even if there is possibly some suspicion of foul play,” but noted they likely believe the substances involved “may be connected to a person or organization that is already the subject of their investigation.”
Irvine added that federal authorities have large resources and lots of “forensic capacity” that can be used to examine personal devices.
Two Areas Investigators Are Looking At
Next Irvine spoke about two things that investigators evaluate.
The first involves partners and their relationship. He said, “it is certainly not immaterial that she died in the company of Brian Hickerson, who has been convicted of felony abuse against her.” During investigations, it’s standard to vet intimate partners if a history of violence exists.
The second aspect looks at obtaining substances. They need to find out where the substances came from, and if whoever supplied them can “be held criminally liable.”
What Does ‘No Foul Play’ Mean?
Weber also mentioned that police initially reported no signs of foul play or physical trauma, so he asked why is there now a criminal investigation.
Irvine clarified that “when they say no evidence of foul play, no trauma, that simply suggests that there was no indication that she was beaten, stabbed, shot, or somehow violently killed.”
In fact, no trauma showing up “does not mean that her death… is not a separate crime.”
Phones Could Provide Answers
Irvine also talked about digital evidence, noting that examining text messages and phone records can reveal whether there was a plan on the part of Hayden Panettiere “to take substance A when the toxicology ultimately shows that she died from an ingestion of substance B.”
That could indicate “somebody gave her something that she didn’t intend to take.”
Weber and Irvine noted that while toxicology testing typically takes weeks, official reports could be temporarily withheld from the public “if there is an ongoing criminal investigation and there’s a reason to keep those findings secret.”
In particular, that could happen if investigators intend to present evidence to a grand jury.
Your thoughts on the investigation into the death of Jayden Panettiere? Join the discussion and then come back for more true crime news and updates. We also have a crime channel on TikTok that you can follow.