Hayden Panettiere's ex-boyfriend, brother were at scene of her death - report

Hayden Panettiere’s former boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were reportedly at the South Carolina apartment complex where the actress died.

A police incident report obtained by NBC News said Greenville police officers found the brothers at Judson Mill Lofts, where Hayden had been temporarily staying.

The heavily redacted report said it was responding officer Matthew Bryan who first spoke with a "very emotional" Zach, as emergency medical personnel attended to Hayden.

Brian reportedly became visibly emotional only after emergency medical services declared Hayden dead. He also showed police a “bag of medication” that Hayden had been taking.

Brian and Zach did not immediately respond to NBC News’ requests for comment.

The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said Hayden’s cause of death remains under investigation.

An autopsy was completed on Monday, and officials said “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.”

NBC News further reported that Hayden and Brian had an on-and-off relationship that appeared to end in 2020 amid allegations of domestic violence.

In her memoir “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” published three months before her death, Hayden detailed an alleged incident in which Brian beat her so severely that she stayed inside her home for weeks.

Brian was arrested in May 2019 over an allegation of injuring a spouse or girlfriend. He pleaded no contest in April 2021 and was sentenced to four years of probation the following year.

Hayden requested a restraining order against Brian in July 2020. NBC News said court records did not identify the victim in the criminal case, and the outcome of the restraining-order request was unclear.

Brian’s criminal defense attorney did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.

Hayden’s death was confirmed by her representative through a statement sent to ABC News on August 17.

She was best known for her roles in “Bring It On: All or Nothing,” “Heroes,” “Ice Princess,” and “Nashville,” among others.

Hayden was remembered by Blake Lively, who advocated kindness following her death. — LA, GMA News