Brian Hickerson Allegedly Sent ‘Time to Go to War’ Text to Hayden Panettiere

Newly reported court documents have shed light on a series of threatening messages Brian Hickerson allegedly sent to Hayden Panettiere after his February 2020 arrest for domestic violence.

According to documents obtained by TMZ, Hickerson contacted Panettiere despite a court order that prohibited him from communicating with her. The messages were reportedly included in a probable cause affidavit from his criminal case.

Hickerson was arrested in Wyoming on Feb. 14, 2020, after authorities accused him of striking Panettiere with a closed fist while the pair were staying at an Airbnb. Officers reportedly noted that Hickerson appeared to be intoxicated and had been locked out of the building.

One alleged message sent to Panettiere read, “Time to go to war I guess.”

Other messages appeared to reference videos and information Hickerson claimed were being kept overseas. In one alleged text, he wrote, “After Wyoming and LA disappears so do the videos.”

Another message reportedly said that material held by people overseas would be released if he went to prison, adding that it could damage Panettiere’s reputation while helping his own case.

Prosecutors reportedly viewed the messages as an attempt to pressure Panettiere into dropping the case. In another alleged text, Hickerson wrote, “It is very simple, it is a very simple fix, between me and you, you gotta make one phone call.”

He also allegedly told her, “I don’t want to go to court, for you. I will be f–king fine in court, trust me, it’s for you.”

Hickerson was ultimately sentenced to jail time and probation in connection with the domestic violence cases. In 2021, he received 45 days in Los Angeles County jail, four years of formal probation, mandatory domestic violence classes and a five-year restraining order. He had credit for time already served and spent 33 days at Men’s Central Jail.

Hickerson’s legal history with Panettiere began earlier in their relationship. His first Los Angeles arrest, in May 2019, was later dismissed. He subsequently pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend following his July 2020 arrest and later faced additional charges stemming from alleged incidents involving the actress.

A judge denied Hickerson’s request to have his felony convictions reduced to misdemeanors and expunged on Aug. 13, according to documents reported by Page Six. The request had previously been denied in July 2025.

The legal developments have resurfaced as questions continue to surround Panettiere’s final days. The actress, known for roles in “Heroes” and “Nashville,” died at age 36 after she was found unresponsive in a South Carolina apartment.

According to reports, Panettiere was found by Hickerson’s brother, Zach Hickerson. Brian was reportedly also at the residence at the time. First responders attempted lifesaving measures, but Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene. Audio from a 911 call reportedly described the situation as an apparent overdose, and TMZ reported that Narcan was found at the residence.

Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, subsequently criticized Hickerson in a statement to NBC News, saying the family had been trying to remove him from her daughter’s life for years.

Panettiere had previously discussed her difficult relationship with Hickerson in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning.” However, people close to the actress reportedly did not know that the two had reconnected.

“If Brian was back in her life, then it was something she was hiding because she wasn’t speaking about it with many of her friends,” one source told Page Six.

The allegations contained in the court documents offer a further look at the troubled relationship and the legal proceedings that followed the couple’s repeated breakups and reunions. Hickerson’s alleged messages, in particular, have drawn renewed attention because authorities previously characterized them as an effort to intimidate Panettiere during the criminal case.