DEA Joins Hayden Panettiere Death Investigation

Hayden Panettiere DEA Involved in Death Investigation Published August 19, 2026 3:01 PM PDT Hayden Panettiere's death is on the feds' radar ... TMZ has learned the DEA has joined the multi-agency investigation. The Drug Enforcement Administration has agents assisting the parallel death investigations already underway ... according to our sources with direct knowledge of the probe. As we first reported, Greenville PD and the coroner's office are conducting parallel investigations ... and the DEA jumping on the case as well makes sense. Remember, paramedics are heard telling a dispatcher Hayden had suffered a possible "overdose." Also, TMZ broke the story ... Narcan -- an over-the-counter OD treatment -- was found in the apartment where Hayden died. The DEA's involvement harkens back to another celeb death ... the Matthew Perry case. Matthew died in 2023 from a ketamine overdose, and the feds swooped in for a months-long investigation that eventually secured 5 convictions related to his death -- including 2 doctors and the dealer who was known around L.A. as the "Ketamine Queen." It's still undetermined if narcotics contributed to Hayden's death -- the coroner has said toxicology is pending -- but, obviously, DEA agents have seen enough clues pointing to potential drug use to join the investigation. We reached out to the agency for comment, and a spokesperson said, "The DEA does not confirm or comment on active investigations." Related articles Matthew Perry Hayden Panettiere Movie Stars Celebrity News Hayden Panettiere Death Celebrity Death Drugs & Alcohol Exclusive Police