Overview
- Law enforcement sources told TMZ that investigators currently believe a single oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl was fatal in Panettiere’s death.
- Panettiere was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at a Greenville, South Carolina, residence after emergency responders used Narcan on August 16, 2026.
- The DEA in Los Angeles and South Carolina has joined the probe and is reported to be tracing the suspected pill back to a longtime Los Angeles dealer.
- An autopsy found no signs of trauma and officials say the official cause and manner of death will be set after toxicology and forensic tests, which can take up to about 12 weeks.
- Counterfeit pills pressed to look like prescription opioids often contain tiny, lethal doses of fentanyl, and investigators say confirming that link could lead to supply‑chain prosecutions similar to past high‑profile cases.