A secret romantic triangle: new revelations about the tragic death of Hayden Panettiere
The violent ex-partner slept in the living room while his brother found the actress unconscious: the secret triangle of the star who passed away this week is now exposed. The Daily Mail reports that the star also had a romantic relationship with the ex's older brother, Zach Hickerson, while Brian was imprisoned for assaulting her. It turns out both brothers were in the apartment where she was found lifeless, though only one appeared distraught.
The late actress Hayden Panettiere had romantic relationships with both her former partner, Brian Hickerson, with whom she flew from Los Angeles to Greenville, South Carolina, the day before her tragic death at 36, and his brother, Zach Hickerson. As reported by the Daily Mail, both brothers were present at the scene where the actress was found in her Airbnb apartment in Greenville, according to the police report.
It was previously well known that Brian, a realtor, had a tumultuous, years-long relationship with Panettiere marked by domestic violence incidents for which he was convicted. However, the tabloid now reveals that Zach, Brian's older brother and a pastor by profession, also had a romantic relationship with the Heroes star during the period Brian was imprisoned following a 2019 assault. The two were seen walking together in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood in September of that year, with witnesses describing them as looking like a "real couple."
The tabloid notes that this may explain why Zach appeared so distraught when approached for comment at his home in Greenville. "No comment, brother, and please respect our privacy," Zach told the outlet.
According to a TMZ report, it was Zach who arrived at the rented apartment around 1:30 PM and found her unconscious in an armchair, while Brian was sleeping in the bedroom. Both brothers called emergency services. Paramedics performed CPR for nearly an hour before she was officially declared dead in front of them, according to the police report.
First responders arrived at the Judson Mill Lofts complex minutes after the 911 call. The incident summary notes that Zach was visibly distraught, while Brian remained calm and did not appear emotionally overwhelmed until after her death was declared. Brian provided police with a bag of medications the actress had been taking. In the emergency call recording, a dispatcher mentions a suspected overdose as the cause of cardiac arrest. Narcan (naloxone) was also found on-site. No signs of trauma were found on her body, and the official cause of death remains under investigation.
Hayden and Brian were last seen together in March at LAX airport. Panettiere kept their reunion secret, much to the dismay of her mother, Lesley Vogel, who admitted that the family had long tried to keep Brian away from her daughter's life. In an interview with NBC News, she stated: "This person, whom we tried to get rid of for quite some time, was with her at the time of her death. It is a struggle for young people in the entertainment industry, and unfortunately, they often find the wrong path."
Just a month before her death, Brian had filed a request with the Los Angeles County Superior Court to expunge his 2019 domestic violence conviction, a request that was denied just three days before she passed away. In her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, Panettiere described the relationship as a "very dark and complicated period," admitting she had hidden the abuse out of fear of public scrutiny.
