The Greenville County Coroner’s Office released the findings more than a month after the “Heroes” and “Nashville” actress died at 36.
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Actress Hayden Panettiere died from the toxic effects of fentanyl and several other drugs, and her death has been ruled an accident, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office said Tuesday, more than a month after she was found unresponsive in a South Carolina residence.
The coroner’s office said Panettiere’s cause of death was the toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine. Officials classified the manner of death as accidental. Panettiere, known for starring in the television series “Heroes” and “Nashville” and appearing in the “Scream” franchise, was 36 when she died Aug. 16. Authorities have said an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death remains open.
Emergency personnel were called at about 1:51 p.m. Aug. 16 to a residence on Easley Bridge Road in Greenville after a report of cardiac arrest, according to the coroner’s office. First responders found Panettiere unresponsive and began advanced life-support efforts. She was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m. after attempts to revive her were unsuccessful. An autopsy found no signs of trauma that contributed to her death.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office initially withheld a cause and manner of death while awaiting additional testing. As speculation circulated in the weeks after Panettiere’s death, Chief Deputy Coroner Shelton England said Sept. 14 that the office had not yet released toxicology findings and would announce the results when they were ready. Tuesday’s findings marked the first official determination of the substances that caused her death.
The newly released determination listed fentanyl and 4-ANPP along with alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine. Alprazolam is an anti-anxiety medication, while methocarbamol is a muscle relaxant. Quetiapine is used to treat several mental health conditions. The coroner’s public statement did not provide further details from the full autopsy or specify the amounts of the substances detected.
Greenville police have continued investigating Panettiere’s death even after the coroner classified it as accidental. Police said during the initial investigation that they had not found indications of foul play or suspicious circumstances. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Greenville police confirmed the investigation remained active. Kasey Kitchen, a publicist for Panettiere’s family, told the AP that the investigation was still ongoing and described the case as complex.
Panettiere became one of the most recognizable young actors of her generation after beginning her entertainment career as a child. Her early film credits included “Remember the Titans,” and she later gained widespread attention as Claire Bennet on NBC’s “Heroes.” She went on to star as country singer Juliette Barnes on ABC and CMT’s “Nashville,” a performance that brought her two Golden Globe nominations.
Her film work also included “Racing Stripes,” “Ice Princess,” “Scream 4” and “Scream VI.” She returned to the “Scream” franchise in 2023 after spending several years largely away from acting. Panettiere had spoken publicly about the pressures of growing up in the entertainment industry and about periods in which she struggled with alcohol and drug addiction and postpartum depression.
In May, Panettiere published a memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” through Grand Central Publishing. The book examined her childhood in the entertainment business, her career, addiction and recovery, personal relationships and the death of her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, who died from a heart condition in 2023 at age 28. The memoir was released less than three months before her death.
Panettiere was also the mother of daughter Kaya, whom she shared with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko. She had discussed motherhood and her decision for Kaya to live primarily with Klitschko during interviews before her death, describing the period as one of the most difficult parts of her life.
The accidental-death ruling resolves the official question of Panettiere’s cause and manner of death but does not end the broader investigation. The coroner’s office has not released the complete autopsy report publicly, and Greenville police said Tuesday that their investigation was continuing. No additional findings about the circumstances surrounding the fatal drug exposure had been announced.
Author note: Last updated September 22, 2026.