Zach Hickerson Was With Hayden Panettiere in Final Moments
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A previously little-noticed figure has suddenly moved to the center of the investigation into Hayden Panettiere’s death: Zach Hickerson (picture), the brother of her on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson — and a pastor who once sparked romance rumors with the actress himself.
According to the police report obtained by NBC News and subsequently reported by AP and People, both brothers were inside the Greenville, South Carolina, apartment when emergency crews responded Sunday. Zach was described by the responding officer as “very emotional,” while Brian reportedly did not become visibly shaken until Panettiere had been pronounced dead. Brian also directed officers to a bag containing medications she had been taking.
Zach Hickerson: Pastor Was at the Scene
Zach is the founding pastor of Acts 321, an independent non-denominational church in Nashville, Tennessee. The church says he attended Furman University, spent five years in corporate America and later entered full-time ministry. He now divides time between Nashville and Los Angeles, where his ministry specifically seeks connections with people in the arts and entertainment industry.
His presence during Panettiere’s final hours is therefore particularly striking. According to information reviewed by media Zach was awake when Panettiere became unresponsive, while Brian had been sleeping elsewhere in the residence. Published versions of the police report confirm that both brothers were present when authorities arrived, but the precise sequence immediately before Panettiere collapsed has not yet been fully established publicly.
The official cause of death remains undetermined. An autopsy found no trauma contributing to her death, while toxicology testing is expected to take several weeks.
Hayden and Zach Once Sparked Romance Rumors
There is another twist: Panettiere and Zach themselves were once rumored to be romantically involved.
In September 2019, photographers captured the actress and Zach walking hand-in-hand through New York City’s SoHo neighborhood, laughing and appearing extremely comfortable together. One eyewitness said they looked “like a real couple.” The photographs surfaced while Panettiere was separated from Brian following his domestic-violence arrest.
Reports at the time described Zach as a South Carolina-based pastor and fueled speculation about a possible “fling.” But people close to Panettiere disputed that interpretation. Entertainment Tonight and People reported that the two were friends rather than a couple and had known each other for some time.
The episode nevertheless adds another layer to the complicated relationship between Panettiere and the Hickerson family.
Brothers Retreat From Public View
America Report visited a home outside Greenville where Brian and Zach were believed to be staying after the tragedy. The blinds were drawn. A woman believed to be a family member declined to discuss what happened, saying simply: “We have no comment.”
For investigators, the crucial questions now concern Panettiere’s medication, the toxicology results and precisely what happened inside the apartment before the 911 call.
And among the people who may be able to provide the clearest account of those final moments is the pastor who was there: Zach Hickerson.
