Who Is Brian Hickerson? Hayden Panettiere's Ex Arrested for Domestic Violence Flew to South Carolina With Her

Former child star and Heroes actress Hayden Panettiere has died at 36 in Greenville, South Carolina, with her former boyfriend Brian Hickerson now facing renewed attention after reportedly travelling there with her one day before her death.

Panettiere was found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville on Sunday, 16 August, after travelling from Los Angeles with Hickerson the previous day. Emergency responders attempted to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Who Is Brian Hickerson?

Hickerson is a South Carolina native who moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting and a career in real estate. His limited acting credits include the 2017 film M.F.A., in which he played Officer Williams. He previously worked in property development and has also been described as a sales executive.

Hickerson first attracted widespread attention in 2018 when he began dating Panettiere, shortly after her separation from former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she shares daughter Kaya, 11.

His Relationship With Hayden Panettiere

Panettiere and Hickerson had a turbulent, on-and-off relationship that began in 2018 and later ended. Their romance became the subject of intense scrutiny after Hickerson faced domestic violence allegations involving the actress.

Panettiere detailed the abusive relationship in her 2026 memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, describing the emotional and physical toll it had on her. She also spoke publicly about her struggles with addiction, trauma and the difficulty of breaking away from the relationship.

Although they separated, the pair remained in contact. They were photographed together on several occasions after Hickerson's release from jail, with Hickerson previously saying they were working on a friendship rather than rekindling their romance.

In 2026, they were again seen together, despite their history. A media outletreported that the pair's relationship remained complicated, with Hickerson continuing to feature in Panettiere's life.

Hickerson Arrested for Domestic Violence

Hickerson was arrested in July 2020 after being accused of domestic violence and assault involving Panettiere. He initially faced eight felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from incidents during their relationship.

In April 2021, he pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend.

He was sentenced to 45 days in county jail, four years of formal probation, 52 domestic violence classes, £370 ($500) in restitution and a five-year protective order. He ultimately served 13 days.

Hickerson later acknowledged his past behaviour when discussing Panettiere's memoir, saying, 'I got arrested for abusing her... you never lay hands on a woman. Bottom line,' he said in an interview.

Just days before Panettiere's death, Hickerson also suffered a legal setback when a judge reportedly rejected his request to reduce his previous felony domestic abuse convictions.

Hayden and Brian Flew to South Carolina Together

Panettiere travelled from Los Angeles to South Carolina with Hickerson on Saturday, 15 August, one day before her death. The following afternoon, emergency services were called to a Greenville residence after she was found unresponsive. She was pronounced at 2:32pm after lifesaving efforts failed, according to reports.

The Greenville County Coroner's Office said an autopsy found no signs of trauma. The cause and manner of death remain under investigation, and authorities have reported no indication of foul play.

Hickerson's presence in South Carolina has drawn renewed attention because of the couple's history. However, authorities have not publicly accused him of any involvement in Panettiere's death, and there is currently no public evidence linking him to her death.