Panettiere rep says death investigation ongoing amid unverified reports

Hayden Panettiere’s representative said the investigation into the actress’s Aug. 16 death at age 36 in Greenville, South Carolina, remains open while officials await toxicology results. The representative cautioned that reports based on unnamed sources—including claims involving oxycodone, fentanyl and a possible drug dealer—are unverified and have fueled conflicting accounts. Authorities said Panettiere was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest, while an autopsy found no signs of trauma; a reported DEA search of her Los Angeles home has not established an official cause or manner of death. Separately, an 11-month-old Kentucky boy, Grayson Walton, was found dead during a search of a Cleaton home, prompting a murder investigation; police arrested 19-year-old Elijah Mayes and charged him with murder, criminal abuse, abuse of a corpse and drug possession, while officials said the investigation and potential additional charges remain ongoing.