Hayden Panettiere's brother Jansen Panettiere has reportedly died aged just 28, multiple sources have confirmed.
A representative for Hayden, 33, has revealed that the family does not have a statement at this time because "an investigation is still underway". His cause of death remains unknown, Fox News detailed, though it has since been reported that he passed away in New York on Sunday night (February 19), per TMZ.
Jansen appeared in numerous US movies and TV shows during the early 2000s, including appearing alongside Shia LaBeouf in Even Stevens, as well as portraying Caspar in the long-running zombie series The Walking Dead. He even appeared in two movies with his older sister Hayden, 2004's Tiger Cruise and 2005's Racing Stripes.
His most recent acting credits were in a 2022 holiday flick Love and Love Not.
Just three weeks ago, Jansen took to Instagram to post a sweet image of his sister giving him a haircut, captioning it: "Not the first haircut she's tried to give me."
In recent years, Jansen was open about his decision to step away from Hollywood and relocate to New York, spending time focusing on his art, according to the biography on his website. "Jansen Rane Panettiere is a New York based artist who started painting his problems," it began.
"Despite having been introduced to paint brushes and a canvas at a young age by his father who was an amateur artist at the time, Jansen grew up in the entertainment industry, alongside his sister, actress Hayden Panettiere, and played roles in The Perfect Game, The Last Day of Summer, The Walking Dead, and more," the bio continued.
"After spending time in LA as an adult he was ridden with terrible anxiety and depression; this period in his life eventually produced a spiritual clarity that drove him to start painting his problems, one by one. With more than 50 pieces, Jansen continues to heal himself as well as others with his visceral and emotive work," it concluded.
Our thoughts are with Jansen Panettiere's family, friends, and fans at this difficult time.
