A neighbor from the luxury apartment complex where actress Hayden Panettiere was found dead in Greenville, South Carolina, has shared insight into the hours that came after authorities arrived on the scene and discovered her body.
The neighbor told Page Six that no one knew she had been staying in the apartment, and suspected that it was an Airbnb rental.
Hayden’s neighbor speaks out
“I was shocked, as I’m sure everyone in Greenville was, to find out she was here,” they said. “I don’t know that she was there long, and I’m not sure she even ever left the apartment. I can only speak for myself, but you know, I never saw her, [and] I haven’t spoken to anyone else that said they have.”
“It’s still kind of jarring to hear that someone of her stature was here and then that tragically happened to her,” the neighbor continued, adding that they knew something terrible had happened when the coroner vehicle arrived on Sunday.
“Then [I] woke up this morning to hear that it was Hayden, which is just still shocking.” The authorities arrived on the scene around 12 p.m. on Sunday, and left approximately eight hours later, the neighbor explained.
© GC ImagesThey saw the police speaking with two men who were sitting outside the apartment complex, noting that “they looked like they were in shock, not speaking, and had their heads down”.
The neighbor shared that a notice had been sent to all living in the apartment complex, assuring them that the police did not believe anything of a criminal nature had occurred, and that there was no reason to fear for their safety.
Details emerge
Hayden was just 36 when she was found dead inside the apartment. According to the 911 recording, the paramedics tried to resuscitate her, yet ultimately pronounced her dead at 2:32 p.m.
The authorities have confirmed that there were no “signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances” and shared that one of Hayden’s acquaintances had made the 911 call.
Inside her struggles
Hayden had battled substance abuse and mental health issues for years, after coming up in Hollywood as a child and cementing herself as a bankable star, with credits like Heroes, Ice Princess, Scream, Nashville, A Bug’s Life, Remember the Titans and Bring It On: All or Nothing.
She was open about her struggles with alcohol and drug use, postpartum depression and the effect of losing her brother, Jansen, three years earlier from an undiagnosed heart condition.
© Getty ImagesHayden’s death was confirmed by her representative on August 16 in a statement to HELLO! that read: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. 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.”
She is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya Klitschko, whom she shared with her ex-fiancé, Ukrainian former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.
© TwitterThe star had released her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in May 2026, and shared insight into her addiction struggles and time as a child actress in Hollywood.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress or just needs someone to talk to, support is available. In the US, you can call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org for free, confidential help 24/7.
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