Hayden Panettiere and her alleged drug dealer exchanged numerous messages leading up to the week of her suspected overdose death, according to reports from Tuesday. The actress, 36, reportedly communicated with her long-term dealer, whom she met in Los Angeles before traveling to South Carolina the day before her death on August 16. Sources indicated that the messages were specific to purchasing black market drugs and are central to an ongoing Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation.
Authorities are focusing on a potential drug dealer as part of their inquiry into Panettiere's death. Residents in West Hollywood reported seeing two women, believed to be in their early 20s, and a man in his mid-30s frequently visiting the actress since 2021. Witnesses stated that Panettiere would answer the door to receive bags from these visitors, although it remains unclear what was contained in them.
One report noted that a bag labeled with the name “Brian” was dropped off just a week before her death, although it is uncertain if this was related to her on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson.
Panettiere was found dead in an Airbnb after reportedly taking one pill believed to be oxycodone laced with fentanyl. The official cause of death has not yet been released by coroners. Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, was found at the property.
Hickerson has met with DEA officials as part of the investigation, but details of his disclosures remain unknown. The prevalence of fentanyl-laced pills has surged in recent years, with the DEA seizing over 47 million fentanyl-laced pills and nearly 10,000 pounds of fentanyl powder in 2025. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, synthetic opioids like fentanyl are responsible for nearly 70% of overdose deaths, and even small doses can be lethal. The rise in both nonfatal and fatal overdoses involving fentanyl has been noted over the past few years.
In December 2025, then-President Trump classified fentanyl as a “weapon of mass destruction,” stating that it poses a significant threat comparable to a chemical weapon. Panettiere's death adds to the list of high-profile fatalities linked to fentanyl, including the overdose death of Robert De Niro’s grandson, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, in July 2023.