Law enforcement sources trace Hayden Panettiere’s fatal dose to a fentanyl-laced pill, putting a major dealer in the DEA’s crosshairs

Hayden Panettiere’s death has taken a new turn. Investigators are putting focus on the source of a pill that law enforcement sources believe contained a potentially fatal combination of oxycodone and fentanyl.

Per TMZ, multiple sources connected to the investigation believe Panettiere took an oxycodone pill that had been laced with fentanyl. The actress was found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina.

The investigation has not established that the alleged dealer supplied the fatal pill. Toxicology results are still pending, and officials have not publicly confirmed Panettiere’s final cause of death. Authorities are treating the fentanyl-laced pill theory as part of an ongoing investigation.

Investigators are now following the pill back to its source

As per the report, the DEA is working to piece together Panettiere’s connection to the Los Angeles dealer. Investigators are reportedly attempting to trace the fatal pill through that relationship and determine where it came from.

The focus extends beyond Los Angeles. ABC reports that the investigation has become a “cross-country investigation” involving authorities in both Los Angeles and South Carolina, with investigators examining the drugs that may have contributed to Panettiere’s death and their source.

According to sources in the report, Panettiere had taken several drugs obtained from the alleged dealer while traveling from Los Angeles to South Carolina. Investigators believe she later took an oxycodone pill on the morning she died, which they suspect contained fentanyl.

The exact contents of the pill have not been publicly confirmed through final toxicology. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office has not released a definitive cause of death. This leaves investigators to work with evidence gathered at the scene and information from people connected to the case.

First responders found Panettiere unresponsive and in cardiac arrest. Attempts to revive her were unsuccessful, according to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office. An autopsy reportedly found no signs of trauma that contributed to her death.

For now, investigators are still working to establish the chain of supply behind the suspected pill. Panettiere’s representative said the investigation remains ongoing and described the case as complex. Law enforcement has not publicly identified anyone as a target or announced charges.