Celebrity2 min(s) read
Hayden Panettiere's boyfriend Brian Hickerson has broken his silence after the actress's tragic death last week.
Hickerson was in an on-again, off-again relationship with the Heroes star that has attracted much controversy, including from her own estranged mother, Lesley Vogel.
Police have said that Hickerson was present at the North Carolina apartment where Panettiere died last Sunday. The circumstances of her death are still under investigation.
Now, Hickerson has broken his silence with a statement from his lawyers.
In a statement released to TMZ, Hickerson's attorney Sloan Ellis said: "Hayden's death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed.
"As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden's loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time."
E! News has also obtained Greenville Police Department report, which states that Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were both present at the apartment complex as authorities arrived at the apartment complex after Panettiere had been found unresponsive.
The siblings both confirmed to the police that they had been the ones to call 911, with Zach Hickerson calling Panettiere his "brother's girlfriend" when questioned by investigators.
Much has been made of the on-again off-again relationship between Panettiere and Hickerson, which dates back to 2018.
Panettiere was previously in a relationship with Wladimir Klitschko, a Ukranian boxing champion with who she shared a daughter, Kaya. The pair were previously engaged but broke up in 2018, with Panettiere relinquishing full custody of her daughter to Klitschko.
Things started to sour in 2019, when Hickerson was arrested by police following an alleged altercation with Panettiere and he was charged with felony domestic violence, though the case was later dismissed since prosecutors "could not secure a material witness."
Yet on Valentine's Day 2020, Hickerson was arrested again following another altercation with his girlfriend. In 2021, he plead no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail, four years of probation and 52 domestic violence classes.
However, in the months leading up to her death, it was clear that the couple were attempting to reconcile, having been spotted on numerous occasions.
The pair reportedly travelled together from Los Angeles to South Carolina the day before Panettiere died.
