Until Dawn‘s Hayden Penettiere passed away last Sunday, August 16, 2026. Her representative confirmed her sudden passing in a statement.
The actress was announced dead at 36 after emergency services responded to an “unresponsive female” on Sunday. Recently, new reports of her untimely and shocking death have emerged from the Greenville Police Department.
What we know so far about Hayden Panettiere’s death investigation
The Greenville Police Department confirmed to Variety that no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances were suspected in Panettiere’s death. A representative of the department added, “Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
“The case is under investigation by the Greenville Police Department in conjunction with the Greenville County Coroner’s Office,” the rep continued.
Moreover, as per ABC News, the Until Dawn star was “temporarily staying” at the residence where she was found deceased. According to them, the 911 call was placed by an acquaintance of Panettiere.
That said, the cause of the star’s death has not yet been confirmed. However, according to People, the dispatch audio obtained by the outlet had officials discussing an overdose and cardiac arrest. The cause of her death will be revealed after further investigation and the completion of additional studies.
The late actress started her Hollywood career early, with some roles including Sarah Roberts in One Life to Live and Sheryl in Remember the Titans. She starred as Samantha “Sam” Giddings in the PlayStation 4 survival horror game Until Dawn in 2015.
Her most famous role was playing Claire Bennet in the ABC drama Heroes. Moreover, Panettiere published a memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, on May 19, 2026. In this memoir, she wrote about personal stories of her struggles and the impact of growing up in Hollywood stardom, the loss of her brother, a troubled relationship with her mother, and suffering from postpartum depression.
