Hayden Panettiere’s coroner shares update over star’s cause of death

The coroner working on Hayden Panettiere’s autopsy has spoken out following speculation about her cause of death.

The American actress, who also starred in Nashville and the Scream franchise, died aged 36 at her home in Greenville, South Carolina, on 16 August.

Police said at the time that the star was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest, with ‘no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances’.

A post-mortem examination by the Greenville County coroner’s office also found that ‘no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death,’ however, her cause and manner of death have not been confirmed.

On Monday (14 September), the Greenville County Coroner’s Office told NewsNation that toxicology testing isn’t yet complete, and officials do not yet have a cause or manner of death.

When asked when an update could be expected, the coroner said he couldn’t provide a firm timeline but estimated another couple of weeks.

An update has been issued on Hayden Panettiere's cause of death investigation (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

It comes after sources told ABC News that, as the Greenville City Police Department leads the investigation into Panettiere's death, the US Drug Enforcement Administration is also allegedly assisting.

A representative for Panettiere told the outlet when asked about the claims: "There's nothing to be shared at this time as the investigation is ongoing but we are hopeful that justice will be served."

According to a Greenville Police Department report, authorities said that Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were on scene as authorities responded to the actress experiencing cardiac arrest.

The report said that Zach was ‘very emotional’ while emergency workers were ‘working on Hayden,’ while Brian did not become visibly emotional until the star was pronounced dead.

The police report also said that Brian showed the police a ‘bag of medication’ that Panettiere was taking when she died.

Brian's attorney, Sloan Ellis, told TMZ in a statement on 20 August: "Hayden's death remains under investigation, and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed.

"As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden's loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time."

The DEA is allegedly assisting in the investigation (Michael Tran Archive/Getty Images)

Panettiere’s death rocked the entertainment world when it was announced last month by her father, Skip.

He said in a statement: “She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her - and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”

Her father also asked that her family be given privacy as they ‘take time to process this unimaginable loss’.

Elsewhere, her ex Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she shared an 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, wrote on Instagram: “Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief.

“The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya.

“She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives.

“To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was.”