Brian Hickerson’s sister says she understands what kept drawing Hayden Panettiere back to her brother during their years-long, on-and-off relationship.
Ashley Hickerson described Brian as “the most charismatic person” in comments reported by Page Six from a Daily Mail interview. “I get why Hayden was with him,” she said. “He could make you laugh no matter what.”
Ashley said Brian began using drugs, and that was when his behavior changed. She said he later went to treatment and took responsibility for what he had done.
Panettiere discussed the relationship in May during an interview with Jay Shetty. She said there were times when she believed she had finally gotten away from Brian.
“Abusers, they weave themselves like weeds into your life,” she said.
Panettiere died Aug. 16 at age 36. Brian and his brother Zach Hickerson were at the South Carolina apartment when first responders arrived, according to a police report obtained by The Associated Press. An autopsy found no trauma, authorities have said there were no signs of foul play, and her cause of death remains undetermined.
Ashley Hickerson Says Brian Could “Make You Laugh No Matter What”
Ashley said Brian had a personality that could pull people in quickly.
Ashley said the violence did not reflect the way she and her siblings were raised. She said Brian’s behavior changed after he began using drugs and that he eventually went to treatment.
Panettiere’s death has also been difficult for the Hickerson family, Ashley said. Their father, David Hickerson, was grieving the loss.
Panettiere Said Abusers Find Ways to Keep a Connection
Panettiere’s explanation came during her May conversation with Shetty while she was promoting This Is Me: A Reckoning.
“Abusers, they weave themselves like weeds into your life,” she said.
Panettiere said there could still be an object, an obligation or some unfinished matter after a breakup that gave an abuser another reason to make contact. She said those things could keep the connection going after she believed the relationship was over.
Panettiere said abusers found ways to “keep you on the hook.”
In April 2021, Brian pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend in a case involving Panettiere. He was sentenced to 45 days in county jail, four years of probation, domestic violence classes and a five-year protective order, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Three days before Panettiere died, a Los Angeles judge denied Brian’s second attempt to clear those convictions. PEOPLE reported that prosecutors had opposed the petition by citing a later arrest and what they described as continued drug use. The 2025 case was ultimately dismissed after Brian completed a diversion program.
Lesley Vogel Says She Left After Panettiere Went Back to Brian
Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, said she moved in with her daughter about a year before her death because she wanted to help her leave Brian.
Vogel told Good Morning America that she later went home after Panettiere decided to resume the relationship. The mother and daughter were no longer communicating when Panettiere died.
Vogel has blamed Brian for contributing to her daughter’s decline and has questioned the circumstances surrounding her death.
Brian’s attorney, Sloan Ellis, said police had found no signs of foul play and that Panettiere’s death remained under investigation. Ellis said there would be no further comment while the investigation was open.
Panettiere’s Cause of Death Has Not Been Determined
Brian and Zach Hickerson were with Panettiere when emergency workers arrived at the South Carolina apartment on Aug. 16. First responders attempted CPR before she was pronounced dead at 2:31 p.m., according to the AP.
An autopsy found no trauma that contributed to her death. Authorities have not accused Brian or Zach of causing Panettiere’s death, and no official cause has been released.
Anyone experiencing domestic violence can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, text START to 88788 or use the site’s live chat.