Brian Hickerson's past bankruptcy and domestic violence record resurfaced after Hayden Panettiere's death

Bankruptcy paperwork filed by Brian Hickerson in July 2022 revealed assets totaling $25,700 and debts near $60,000, with no regular monthly income reported. His listed possessions included a 1990 Ford Bronco, an inoperable 2008 Toyota Prius, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a Chevrolet Silverado truck (registered to his father), an iPhone, a printer, $2,000 in clothing and $100 in jewelry, and $6,250 in a checking account.

The debt comprised nearly $20,000 in credit-card charges and about $18,000 in medical expenses. Hickerson's financial filing followed a history of domestic-violence incidents involving actress Hayden Panettiere, including arrests in 2019 and 2020, a restraining order, and a 2021 plea that led to 45 days in jail, four years of probation, 52 mandatory classes and a five-year restraining order. The pair had dated intermittently for four years before separating in July 2022. Panettiere was discovered unresponsive in a South Carolina Airbnb on August 16, with 911 audio suggesting an overdose; her brother Zach Hickerson, who is Brian's brother, found her.