Who Is Brian Hickerson? What We Know About Hayden Panettiere’s on-off Boyfriend Who Was Present at the Scene When She Passed Away – Details

He had already been one of the most controversial figures in the late star’s life. What surfaced after her death has only made their tangled history harder to ignore.

For years, Brian Hickerson was one of the most complicated figures in Hayden Panettiere’s personal life, sometimes described as her boyfriend, sometimes her ex, and, more recently, someone who reportedly remained much closer to her than many people realized.

But after Panettiere’s sudden death at 36, the story of their relationship took an even more startling turn. What authorities reportedly encountered inside the South Carolina residence where she was found — and what Hickerson’s own brother allegedly discovered — has raised new questions about the final hours of the actress’ life.

Hayden Panettiere and Brian Hickerson began dating in 2018, but their relationship would later become marked by repeated breakups, legal troubles and reconciliations. Years later, Hickerson was reportedly present at the South Carolina residence where Panettiere died. | Source: Getty Images

The Greenville Police Department said Panettiere was found unresponsive around 1:50 p.m. local time at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday, August 16, 2026. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said first responders and EMS initiated advanced cardiac life support, but she was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m.

An official cause of death had not been released at the time of those reports, and the coroner confirmed that an autopsy was completed the following day.

Dispatch audio referenced both an "overdose" and "cardiac arrest," but those references should not be confused with an official determination of how Panettiere died.

ABC News also reported on Panettiere’s death at 36, while an early TMZ report on the discovery of her body detailed the emergency response in Greenville. Police said the preliminary investigation has not indicated foul play or suspicious circumstances.

Panettiere’s representative confirmed her death on August 16, while her father remembered his daughter as an "incredible light" who brought love and joy both to those around her and to audiences who knew her work.

According to People’s report, a law enforcement source said her on-again, off-again boyfriend was with her at the time of her death.

As more information emerged, attention inevitably turned toward Hickerson — not simply because he was reportedly inside the residence, but because of the lengthy and deeply complicated history he shared with the "Nashville" and "Heroes" actress.

Who Is Brian Hickerson?

Long before his name became linked with Panettiere’s personal life, Hickerson had built a professional résumé largely outside Hollywood. According to his LinkedIn profile, he lists himself as a Sales Executive based in Los Angeles, California, and says he attended the University of South Carolina from 2007 to 2011, earning a Bachelor of Science in a business-related field.

The profile also lists an executive-assistant role for a "High Profile Confidential Client," beginning in April 2018.

In that position, Hickerson says he managed an entire residence, coordinated with household employees and vendors, provided 24/7 on-call support, and handled both information security and physical security during travel and public appearances.

Hickerson’s relationship with Panettiere remained difficult to define even in the months before her death. Some reports claimed they had quietly rekindled their romance, while others said their connection no longer appeared romantic. | Source: Getty Images

Before that, the profile says he worked as a contract corporate recruiter at RealtyMogul.com from May 2017 until December 2018. His description of that role includes recruiting across the company for positions ranging from administrative assistants and legal staff to sales executives and C-suite roles.

Earlier positions listed on the profile include Business Solutions Manager and Recruiter at Adams & Martin Group, as well as Vice President of Sales at HPM Landscaping and Construction.

The latter role, which the profile dates from May 2011 to February 2015, involved customer relationships, landscaping and construction needs, and acquiring new accounts. Hickerson claimed in his description that he obtained new accounts worth more than $500,000 annually.

Another listing names the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina and specifies Business Administration, Marketing, and Management. The profile also lists volunteer support for the No Kid Hungry campaign, beginning in February 2015.

Hickerson later faced multiple domestic violence charges connected to Panettiere and was sentenced in 2021 to jail, probation and domestic violence classes. Panettiere had previously spoken publicly about hoping her experience could help others in abusive relationships seek support. | Source: Getty Images

Among the visible skills are Travel Coordination and Information Security, while the honors section includes "Best Places to Work" or "Top Workplaces" recognition and a "Stevie Award" for Product Developer of the Year connected to what the profile calls proprietary "Expedite Timecard" technology. French is also listed under languages.

On paper, it is a fairly conventional business résumé. Hickerson’s public notoriety, however, came almost entirely from his relationship with Panettiere.

Hayden Panettiere and Brian Hickerson Began Dating in 2018

Panettiere and Hickerson were first romantically linked in 2018, around the period when her long-term relationship with Wladimir Klitschko had ended. A contemporaneous People report about Panettiere and Klitschko’s split noted that Panettiere had begun spending time with Hickerson that summer.

At the time, Panettiere’s family life was also receiving intense public attention. A Us Weekly report concerning Panettiere and her daughter Kaya claimed the actress was spending limited time with her daughter, who was living with Klitschko.

Hickerson publicly defended Panettiere amid that coverage, calling her a "great mom." But within a year, their relationship had moved into much darker territory.

Just months before Panettiere’s death, Hickerson described her as "the sweetest thing in the world" and said she would always hold a special place in his heart. He also acknowledged that the pair "probably wouldn’t be good together," despite reports that they remained close. | Source: Getty Images

Hickerson’s First High-Profile Domestic Violence Case Involving Panettiere

In May 2019, Hickerson was arrested in Hollywood and charged with felony domestic violence.

According to USA Today, Hickerson pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of injuring a spouse, partner, or cohabitant. A Los Angeles judge also issued a restraining order prohibiting him from coming within 100 yards of Panettiere.

At the time, Hickerson faced the possibility of up to four years in prison if convicted on that charge. The case was later dismissed after prosecutors were reportedly unable to secure Panettiere as a material witness. But the legal troubles did not end there.

Another Arrest Followed on Valentine’s Day 2020

In February 2020, Hickerson was arrested again following an alleged altercation with Panettiere in Jackson, Wyoming. TMZ stated that authorities alleged Hickerson struck Panettiere "with a closed fist on the right side of her face."

Deputies were called to a private residence at approximately 2:30 a.m. that Valentine’s Day after a caller reported that an intoxicated man had been locked outside after punching his girlfriend.

Police documents cited by TMZ said officers found Hickerson in the driveway, where he said Panettiere claimed he was beating her severely, but he avoided answering whether he had in fact punched Panettiere.

Hickerson also told the police that he had hired a private chef to stick around so that he "wouldn’t be accused of [expletive]." While speaking with the authorities, the chef said he had left the residence around 1 a.m., but shared that he had witnessed the duo arguing earlier that night.

Meanwhile, Panettiere allegedly told deputies that Hickerson had thrown her around inside the bedroom and punched her. According to the report, officers observed redness and swelling on her face as well as an injury to her hand.

Hickerson was then booked for domestic battery and was also accused of interfering with a police officer after allegedly refusing to identify himself. TMZ noted that Hickerson had also been involved in a separate domestic incident involving his father in late 2018, when Panettiere was reportedly present.

The relationship was becoming increasingly difficult to describe as merely "on-again, off-again." By 2020, the pair’s history had become intertwined with police reports, court proceedings, and serious allegations of violence.

Panettiere and Hickerson’s relationship remained deeply complicated even after his 2021 sentencing stemming from domestic violence charges involving her. Despite their history, the two continued to reconnect in the years that followed. | Source: Getty Images

Hickerson Was Later Sentenced to Jail

The legal consequences became more concrete in 2021.

According to USA Today, Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse, cohabitant, fiancé, boyfriend, girlfriend, or child’s parent. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail and four years of probation.

Hickerson was additionally ordered to attend 52 domestic violence classes, pay $500 in restitution, and comply with a five-year protective order.

He had originally faced a broader eight-count criminal case that included felony assault allegations, battery, and an allegation that he attempted to dissuade Panettiere from pursuing a case against him.

Reports published after Panettiere’s death suggested Hickerson had remained a significant presence in her life, even when some friends believed they were apart. One source claimed the pair’s relationship was kept quieter in public because of concerns about how their history could affect her career. | Source: Getty Images

The charges stemmed from incidents prosecutors said occurred between 2019 and 2020. Panettiere spoke publicly about the situation in 2020. In an Instagram statement posted by the actress, she said she was speaking out in the hope that her story would empower others living through abusive relationships to get help.

She also said she was grateful to the support system that helped her "regain" her voice and her life. Her statement included information for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. For a time, it appeared that chapter might finally be closed… It wasn’t.

Hickerson and Panettiere Found Their Way Back Into Each Other’s Orbit

Despite everything that had happened, Hickerson and Panettiere were seen together again in later years. Their exact relationship status often remained murky, and accounts published after Panettiere’s death paint notably different pictures of just how close they really were.

Page Six reported that some of Panettiere’s friends had no idea she had apparently reconnected with Hickerson. According to the outlet’s report that some friends were kept "in the dark," one source said Panettiere was not discussing Hickerson with many of the people close to her.

The source theorized that someone who had previously spoken openly about a troubled relationship might feel embarrassed or ashamed about going back to the same person.

Panettiere and Hickerson had, however, been seen together publicly months earlier. In March 2026, they were spotted at LAX while Panettiere was using crutches, fueling speculation that they had reconciled.

Another Page Six source later claimed Panettiere had reconnected with Hickerson roughly two weeks before her death. That source said Hickerson had spent about a week with Panettiere in Los Angeles before the pair eventually traveled east to South Carolina.

Interestingly, the insider claimed, "things did not appear to be romantic." According to that account, Hickerson had a habit of re-entering Panettiere’s life under the label of friendship. But another report offered a very different version.

TMZ reported that the public may have been given an incomplete picture of Panettiere and Hickerson’s relationship. According to the outlet, a source close to Hickerson claimed the couple had not broken up nearly as many times as the public believed.

The source alleged they were still romantically involved while Panettiere was promoting her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning." According to that account, Panettiere had been advised to distance herself publicly from Hickerson because their history could potentially harm the book’s promotion.

The source put it in particularly blunt terms, reportedly describing Hickerson as "bad for business." TMZ’s source claimed the two remained in constant contact and that people inside their circle sometimes laughed at media reports declaring that the relationship had ended.

A second source close to Hickerson similarly told the outlet that they had continued dating for years. The report also claimed Panettiere had become close with the wider Hickerson family.

Those claims have not been established independently, and they conflict with other accounts describing the relationship as recently rekindled or no longer romantic. Still, they add another layer to why Hickerson’s presence in Greenville on August 16 became so significant.

Friends Reportedly Worried Hickerson Had Isolated Panettiere

After Panettiere’s death, some of her friends reportedly described a long-running concern about Hickerson’s influence on her life.

A source told Page Six, "Hayden’s friends felt like Brian had isolated her from them over the years," the insider claimed.

According to the source, people around Panettiere worried she had become increasingly cut off from friends who cared about her. They also allegedly hoped she would eventually leave Hickerson permanently and reconnect with the people who had supported her.

Neither Panettiere’s nor Hickerson’s representative immediately responded to Page Six’s request for comment on those claims.

Three Months Before Her Death, Hickerson Spoke Publicly About Panettiere

There is another detail that feels especially poignant in hindsight. Just three months before Panettiere died, Hickerson sat down with TMZ and spoke warmly about her, while simultaneously acknowledging that the two of them might not belong together.

During the May interview, Hickerson called her "the sweetest thing in the world." He also described Panettiere as what he called a "Sunday girl." His explanation was that the person who really matters is not necessarily the person someone spends Saturday night with, but the person they want to spend Sunday with. "Hayden Panettiere is a Sunday girl," Hickerson said.

The comment took on a haunting coincidence after Panettiere died on a Sunday. Asked whether Panettiere was better off without him, Hickerson said he would be an "idiot" not to step aside and allow her to flourish in her career.

He called Panettiere the most talented person he had ever met and acknowledged that they "probably wouldn’t be good together." Hickerson also said he was excited to see what Panettiere could achieve during the next 30 years of her career, and added that she would always hold a special place in his heart.

Hickerson Also Publicly Acknowledged Abusive Behavior

That same period brought another remarkable development. In May 2026, Hickerson publicly discussed at least one violent incident from his relationship with Panettiere. Page Six later recalled the admission in its report about the pair’s apparent reunion.

Hickerson described being drunk while holding a phone and telling Panettiere he would give her 10 seconds to run before he threw it at her.

Then Came Another Legal Blow, Just Three Days Before Panettiere Died

Hickerson’s old criminal case resurfaced almost immediately before Panettiere’s death. On Thursday, August 13, 2026, a judge denied his request to have his past felony domestic violence convictions reduced to misdemeanors.

According to TMZ, the judge also rejected Hickerson’s attempt to have the convictions expunged. The ruling came three days before Panettiere died. Prosecutors opposed Hickerson’s motions, and Judge Olivia Rosales ultimately denied them.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office also confirmed the ruling to Page Six in its separate report on Hickerson’s legal setback. Hickerson had served 33 days of his original 45-day jail sentence, according to TMZ. Then, only days later, he was in South Carolina with Panettiere, and that is where the story becomes even more complicated.

What Reportedly Happened Inside the Greenville Airbnb

Initial reports established that Hickerson was present at the Greenville residence when Panettiere was found unresponsive. But subsequent reporting offered a much more specific account of what allegedly happened inside.

According to TMZ’s report, Panettiere and Hickerson were both inside an Airbnb in Greenville on Sunday afternoon. Sources with direct knowledge told the outlet that Hickerson was asleep in a separate bedroom, and the person who allegedly discovered Panettiere was not Hickerson; it was his older brother, Zach. TMZ’s sources said Zach entered the residence and found Panettiere sitting in a chair in the living room.

Reportedly, documents state both Zach and Hickerson called 911. That differs somewhat from earlier information cited by People, which said it was initially unclear whether Hickerson himself called 911 and quoted police as saying an "acquaintance" of Panettiere placed the emergency call.

Read also

Hayden Panettiere, 36, Dead: The Man She Was with the Night Before and What She Said in Her Last Interview

Hayden Panettiere’s Companion on Her Final Flight Out of Los Angeles Identified as Police Open Investigation

Hayden Panettiere’s Ex Brian Hickerson Was with Her When She Died — Police Report Reveals Who Else Was in the Room

However, the differing descriptions may simply reflect additional information becoming available as reports emerged. Dispatch audio referenced a possible overdose, and TMZ reported that Narcan was found inside the apartment. Again, neither an overdose nor any other cause has been officially established yet.

Police Reportedly Noted a Striking Difference Between the Brothers’ Reactions

According to People, both Hickerson and his older brother were present when first responders arrived. Hickerson reportedly showed officers a "bag of medication" that Panettiere had been taking. Responding Officer Matthew Bryan wrote that Zach was "very emotional." Hickerson, by contrast, was reportedly not visibly emotional until Panettiere was formally declared dead.

The officer also wrote that he spoke more "in depth" with Hickerson. Meanwhile, Zach reportedly referred to Panettiere as his brother’s "girlfriend."

The officer’s body camera was active during the interaction, and authorities also reportedly had CCTV footage showing Panettiere, Hickerson and Zach "coming and going" from the property. Zach’s presence introduces one more extraordinary chapter in this already tangled story.

Panettiere Was Reportedly Linked to Hickerson’s Older Brother

The most unexpected claim to emerge after Panettiere’s death concerns Zach. In an exclusive, The Daily Mail reported that Panettiere had once been romantically linked to both brothers.

Importantly, that claim has not been established as fact. However, according to that report, Panettiere was allegedly romantically involved with Zach while Hickerson was incarcerated in connection with a domestic violence case in 2019. The outlet pointed to photos from Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood in September 2019.

Those photographs show the pair walking hand-in-hand through the city, appearing cheerful and playful while strolling together. A witness quoted by the outlet claimed, "They looked very comfortable. Like a real couple."

The Daily Mail characterized the encounter as an apparent romantic dalliance. Still, it remains unclear exactly what the nature of Panettiere and Zach’s relationship was, how long it may have lasted, or when it ended.

After Panettiere’s death, the Daily Mail approached Zach at his home in Greenville, where he refused to answer questions about Panettiere or the alleged past relationship. "No comment, bro," he told the reporter before asking that his privacy be respected.

He said he understood that the reporter was doing a job but repeatedly requested to be left alone. The Daily Mail identified Zach as a pastor and founder of an independent church in Nashville.

A Relationship Marked by Affection, Estrangement, Violence, and Repeated Reunions

Hickerson’s connection with Panettiere cannot be reduced to one account or insight. There were moments when he publicly praised her, defended her as a mother, and described her as the sweetest person he knew. There were also criminal cases tied to violence against her, no-contest pleas, jail time, probation, domestic violence classes, and a protective order.

Hayden Panettiere herself once said she had found the courage to speak out about abuse because she wanted others to seek help. Yet reports indicate that Hickerson continued to reappear in her life.

Whether those later reunions were romantic, platonic, or something in between remains a matter of conflicting accounts. What is no longer disputed is that Hickerson was there in Greenville when Panettiere’s life ended.

Panettiere and Hickerson remained connected despite years of legal turmoil surrounding their relationship. By 2026, reports suggested they had again grown close, though sources differed over whether their bond was romantic. | Source: Getty Images

Still, for now, the unanswered questions remain exactly that: unanswered. However, one fact sits at the center of everything: a relationship that repeatedly seemed finished somehow kept circling back — right up until Panettiere’s final day.

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