Mia Terrazzas said she repeatedly called 911 over disturbances and saw Panettiere appear injured while Brian Hickerson was nearby.
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA — A former neighbor of Hayden Panettiere says she witnessed troubling incidents involving the late actress and her on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, including loud disputes, repeated emergency calls and occasions when Panettiere appeared to have been injured.
Mia Terrazzas, who lived near Panettiere at a West Hollywood apartment complex, described the incidents in an interview with Inside Edition after the 36-year-old “Heroes” and “Nashville” actor died Sunday in Greenville, South Carolina. Terrazzas said she called 911 at least six times because of disturbances she heard coming from Panettiere’s home. She also said the building eventually posted notices telling residents to contact police if Hickerson was seen on the property.
Terrazzas said she twice recalled seeing Panettiere taken away on a gurney and believed the actress appeared injured. In one account, she said Hickerson was standing nearby when Panettiere was being removed from the building. Terrazzas said she asked whether Panettiere was OK and believed she showed signs consistent with having suffered physical trauma. Her account describes what she says she observed and does not establish what caused Panettiere’s injuries on those occasions.
The neighbor also alleged that Hickerson remained at Panettiere’s apartment despite concerns among residents. Terrazzas described hearing destructive behavior inside the home and claimed Hickerson once damaged a bathroom with a sledgehammer early in the morning. She said she feared him and believed Panettiere was in danger. Inside Edition reported that the housing complex put up a warning sign telling Hickerson to stay away, while other reports said residents were advised to call 911 if they saw him on the property.
Panettiere had previously spoken publicly about abuse during her relationship with Hickerson. He was charged in 2020 with multiple felony counts stemming from domestic violence allegations and later pleaded no contest to two counts of injuring a spouse or partner. According to The Associated Press, he served a short jail sentence and was ordered to complete probation, anger-management programming and Alcoholics Anonymous sessions. A Los Angeles judge recently denied his request to have the convictions reduced to misdemeanors.
Panettiere also addressed the relationship in her memoir, “This Is Me,” released in May. She wrote about Hickerson’s time in jail and her hope that he would take responsibility and change. Years earlier, in 2020, Panettiere issued a statement saying she was speaking publicly about domestic violence in hopes that her experience could help other people in abusive relationships.
The renewed attention on the couple’s history comes as authorities investigate Panettiere’s death. A Greenville police report said Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were at the South Carolina apartment where Panettiere was found unresponsive Sunday afternoon. An officer arrived as paramedics were performing CPR, and emergency workers pronounced her dead at 2:31 p.m.
Authorities have not determined Panettiere’s cause of death. The police report said officers found no obvious physical explanation for her condition, and an autopsy showed no signs of trauma. Police have said there were no signs of foul play. Hickerson has not been charged with any crime connected to Panettiere’s death, and the circumstances remain under investigation.
The investigation into Panettiere’s death is continuing as officials work to determine what caused the actor to become unresponsive. Terrazzas said she does not know what happened in South Carolina, separating her observations about Panettiere’s past relationship from the unanswered questions surrounding her death.
Author note: Last updated August 20, 2026.