Coroner rules Hayden Panettiere died accidentally of fentanyl mix

Actress Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled an accident, with the Greenville County Coroner’s Office in South Carolina attributing it to the toxic effects of fentanyl combined with four other substances, the office confirmed Tuesday. Along with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, the coroner’s office identified 4-ANPP, a compound that serves both as a precursor in illicit fentanyl manufacturing and as a minor metabolite of the drug itself; the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam, sold under the brand name Xanax; the muscle relaxant methocarbamol; and the antipsychotic quetiapine.

Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive in an apartment in Greenville on Aug. 16. Her autopsy found no signs of trauma that contributed to her death, the coroner’s office said. The Greenville Police Department said its investigation turned up no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances, and that an acquaintance placed the 911 call.

Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death in a statement in August, calling her an incredible light and a force of nature whose work brought joy to millions of viewers.

The official ruling settles weeks of competing, unofficial accounts. Days before the coroner’s office spoke, a representative for Panettiere pushed back on reports that she had died after taking a single fentanyl-laced oxycodone pill, calling the accounts “unverified hearsay” pending completed toxicology results.

Panettiere began acting as a child, appearing in the soap operas “One Life to Live” and “Guiding Light” before her breakout role in 2000’s “Remember the Titans.” She went on to star as regenerating cheerleader Claire Bennet in NBC’s “Heroes” and spent six seasons on the musical drama “Nashville,” earning two Golden Globe nominations. She also played Kirby in “Scream 4” and its 2023 sequel, “Scream VI.”

Panettiere had spoken openly about her struggles with alcohol and drugs. She took a four-year hiatus from acting after “Nashville” concluded in 2018, returning to the screen in 2023’s “Scream VI.” She published a memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” in May, detailing those struggles.