Hayden Panettiere’s death ruled accidental as local police close probe

Police in Greenville, South Carolina, have closed their investigation into the death of actress Hayden Panettiere, saying medical findings and their inquiries supported an accidental-death ruling. The Heroes and Nashville star died in August at the age of 36 after being found unresponsive in an apartment.

The Greenville Police Department announced the conclusion on October 28, citing both the medical examiner’s determination and the results of its investigation. The announcement followed a coroner’s report released in September that attributed her death to the combined toxic effects of several drugs. It closes the local police inquiry but does not establish whether every agency involved has finished its work.

The Greenville County Coroner’s Office identified fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine in its findings. Alprazolam is commonly known by the brand name Xanax. The coroner classified the death as accidental and reported finding no trauma that contributed to it, according to reporting on the autopsy results.

Emergency responders were called to the Greenville residence on August 16 after Panettiere was found unresponsive. Attempts to revive her were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Police had previously said their preliminary investigation did not indicate foul play or suspicious circumstances, although inquiries continued while authorities examined the circumstances and awaited medical findings.

The latest announcement brings the local investigation into line with the coroner’s earlier determination. The medical findings established the cause and manner of death, while police continued their separate examination before announcing that their work was complete. The department said its decision rested on both sets of findings, rather than the toxicology results alone.

Federal involvement remains a separate question. The US Drug Enforcement Administration reportedly joined inquiries into the circumstances of Panettiere’s death, but the BBC said it was unclear whether that investigation had also concluded. Greenville police did not establish the status of other agencies’ work in announcing the closure of their own case.

Panettiere began working on screen as a child before becoming widely known through Heroes and Nashville. Her performance in Nashville included her own singing and brought two Golden Globe nominations for supporting actress. Her death prompted attention both to that television career and to the circumstances surrounding her final hours in South Carolina.

For now, the confirmed development is the closure of Greenville’s investigation following the accidental-death finding. Any further account of federal involvement will depend on clarification from the relevant authorities. The BBC reported that it had approached the DEA for comment, leaving the status of that reported inquiry unresolved.