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Hayden Panettiere’s Los Angeles home was searched by Drug Enforcement Administration agents looking for evidence that could link the fatal oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl she took to a drug dealer.
DEA agents executed a search warrant at the late actress’ residence Aug. 25, looking for evidence related to black market controlled substances, a source told TMZ Tuesday.
According to the outlet, investigators were looking for various drugs Panettiere may have been taking and testing them to see if any were laced with fentanyl.
Additionally, agents were looking for drug paraphernalia, from prescription medication to recreational drugs, which could provide investigators with a broader picture of her drug use and potential sources.
On Tuesday, the outlet reported that Panettiere’s years-long text conversations with her alleged drug dealer are the focus of the DEA’s investigation.
“There are a slew of messages about drugs,” a source involved in the investigation told TMZ.
The federal law enforcement agency source told the outlet that the “Nashville” actress and her drug dealer “were very specific about purchasing black market pills.”
On Monday, law enforcement sources told TMZ that the “Heroes” alum had a “long-time drug dealer” in LA who was allegedly providing her with black-market prescription drugs.
Investigators told the outlet that they believe she took the fatal fentanyl-laced pill on the morning she died.
That same day, Panettiere’s rep told us that the investigation is still ongoing and law enforcement “has not disclosed who they are targeting” in the “complex” case.
As previously reported, Panettiere was found unresponsive by her boyfriend Brian Hickerson’s brother, Zach Hickerson, in a Greenville, South Carolina, Airbnb on Aug. 16. She was 36.
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Her official cause of death has not yet been released, however, Page Six obtained 911 audio from the scene about an “unidentified female” in “cardiac arrest,” and within minutes, “CPR [was] in progress” for the “overdose.”
According to a police report obtained by Page Six, Panettiere was taking a “bag of medication” at the time of her death.
Zach claimed his brother gave his girlfriend CPR and administered Narcan, a medicine typically used to reverse an opioid overdose, in the frantic moments after she was discovered unresponsive.
Over the weekend, Brian — who’s been arrested multiple times for domestic violence against Panettiere — was handcuffed by police following an alleged altercation at a bar in Greenville.
As law enforcement handled the situation, Brian began shouting about “Ice Princess” star’s death.
Police later released Brian from the scene and did not charge him.
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