Hayden Panettiere's boyfriend's brother, Zach Hickerson, has given his account of what happened inside the Airbnb where the actress was found unresponsive on 16 August, adding new detail to the circumstances surrounding her sudden death. His account comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the actress's final hours, with speculation and questions swirling about who was present and what took place before she died.

The case has drawn wider law enforcement attention, with the US Drug Enforcement Administration reportedly joining the investigation, and police have visited a residence linked to the Hickerson brothers. Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, has also spoken publicly since her death, as details of her final days, including a recent PETA advocacy campaign filmed weeks beforehand, continue to emerge.