South Carolina police close local probe into Hayden Panettiere’s accidental overdose

The Greenville Police Department announced on Wednesday that its investigation into the death of actress Hayden Panettiere has been concluded. The statement cited the medical examiner’s determination that the 36‑year‑old’s death was accidental, based on a coroner’s report released last month.

Panettiere was found unresponsive in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on 16 August. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene. The coroner’s report listed a combination of fentanyl, Xanax, methocarbamol and quetiapine in her system, describing the overdose as accidental.

Police said the decision to close the local case was grounded in the medical examiner’s findings and the results of their own investigation. Greenville Police Sergeant Diana Munoz declined to comment on whether any other agencies remain involved, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration did not respond to requests for comment.

Reports indicate that the DEA participated in the original probe, but it is unclear whether that federal investigation has also been closed. In a separate legal filing, Panettiere’s former fiancée, former boxer Wladimir Klitschko, sought court protection for the actress’s property on behalf of their 11‑year‑old daughter, the sole heir.

Panettiere, known for roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," had spoken publicly about her struggles with substance abuse and had entered a rehabilitation program weeks before her death. The closure of the local investigation does not preclude any further federal review of the circumstances surrounding the overdose.