Wladimir Klitschko, Hayden Panettiere’s former fiancé, claims in a new court filing that a “non-family member” may have pawned jewelry belonging to the late actress.
Panettiere died at age 36 on August 16 at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina. Her death was ruled accidental and attributed to the “toxic effects” of multiple drugs, including fentanyl.
She is survived only by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whom she welcomed during her nine-year relationship with the 50-year-old former heavyweight boxing champion.
Last month, Klitschko petitioned a Los Angeles court to become the temporary guardian of Kaya’s estate. The move was intended to protect his daughter’s inheritance as the sole beneficiary of Panettiere’s reported $6 million estate.
Klitschko previously said some of Panettiere’s personal belongings, including jewelry, had “disappeared.” In documents filed October 5, the former boxer alleged that someone once connected to the actress had sold certain items to a pawn shop.
According to the filing obtained by The Daily Mail: “Petitioner is informed and believes that a non-family member previously connected to Hayden sold certain items belonging to Hayden, believed to include jewelry, to a pawn shop.
Hayden Panettiere’s former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko claims a “non-family member” pawned some of the late actress’s jewelry in a new court filing; pictured in 2011
Panettiere signed full custody of her daughter Kaya, then 3, to Klitschko in 2018 while dealing with postpartum depression and addiction; he later moved the child to his native Ukraine
“The pawn shop has declined to disclose specific item information without being contacted by law enforcement.
“Absent such contact, there is a real and continuing risk that any remaining items, including jewelry, believed to belong to Hayden, will be sold, transferred or otherwise rendered unrecoverable.”
Klitschko is asking that any appointment as guardian give him authority to “request and authorize law enforcement investigation into the recovery of Hayden’s property believed to have been misappropriated,” according to the filing.
The Daily Mail said it contacted representatives for Panettiere, Klitschko and his attorney for comment but had not received responses.
The latest filing follows an “urgent” legal request Klitschko made the previous week, citing concerns that Panettiere’s property and Kaya’s inheritance could be at risk.
In 2018, when Kaya was 3, Panettiere gave full custody to Klitschko as she faced struggles with postpartum depression and addiction. Klitschko subsequently relocated their daughter to Ukraine, where he was born.
The filing obtained by The Daily Mail states: “Kaya is a US citizen, residing abroad with her father, Wladimir. Hayden, a US citizen and resident of California, died intestate on August 16, 2026.
“Although Kaya is not a resident of California, this court has jurisdiction over the guardianship of Kaya’s estate because, as such heir, Kaya is entitled to the entirety of the assets subject to Hayden’s probate administration in California.
The documents say the petition is intended to ensure Wladimir “may receive, manage and hold, on Kaya’s behalf, the assets to which Kaya is entitled from Hayden’s probate estate.”
Klitschko also pointed out that no personal representative had been appointed to protect the interests of Panettiere’s estate.
Klitschko filed last month to become the temporary guardian of Kaya’s estate, seeking to protect her inheritance as the sole beneficiary of Panettiere’s reported $6 million estate and recover the actress’s possessions following the investigation into her death
The filing came days after reports said Panettiere’s loved ones had been unable to find the $500,000 engagement ring Klitschko gave her and believed it may have been taken; pictured in 2013
The petition further claims that before Panettiere’s death, additional security measures were put in place at her home due to an unknown individual that had ‘gained unauthorized access to Hayden’s property.’
Locks were changed and, per the documents, ‘storage units containing designer clothing and accessories worn to public appearances have been relocated as a precaution.’
‘Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is expected that the individual will continue to try and misappropriate property belonging to Hayden’s Estate,’ the petition reads.
The documents also state Klitschko ‘has been informed that certain items of personal property belonging to Hayden, including jewelry, have disappeared or remain unaccounted for.
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‘Some items are currently in the custody of law enforcement in connection with the ongoing investigation. It is essential that an Administrator of Hayden’s Estate be appointed to marshal the missing assets and interface with law enforcement.’
Per the documents, Klitschko alleges federal agents accessed Panettiere’s home as part of an ongoing investigation and removed her property.
After Klitschko claimed in the filing that some of Panettiere’s personal property, including jewelry, ‘have disappeared’, new documents filed on October 5 from the former boxer allege someone previously connected to the actress sold items to a pawn shop – pictired 2010
‘It is urgent and essential that Wladimir be immediately appointed Temporary Guardian of Kaya’s Estate, to afford Wladimir the necessary standing to file Hayden’s Probate Petition, and the power to nominate a proposed Administrator of Hayden’s Estate,’ the documents read.
‘Without an immediate appointment for these purposes, there is a high probability that property belonging to Hayden’s Estate may be lost, damaged or dissipated before a duly appointed personal representative can be in place to protect it.’
The former couple met at a book launch in 2009. After two years of dating, they split up in 2011, before rekindling their relationship two years later.
In October 2013, they were engaged, with the actress giving birth to their daughter, Kaya in December 2014. However, it was confirmed in 2018 that the couple had split again but remained on amicable terms.
Later that year, Panettiere announced she had made the ‘difficult decision’ to sign full custody of Kaya to her ex.
The widely discussed move came after Panettiere fell into a deep depression, which she said made her ‘feel nothing’, and led to her ‘turning to wine’ and ultimately being sent to rehab for both depression and substance abuse.
Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson (above together) and his brother, Zach, were both at the scene when the actress was pronounced dead
In her final interview in May, she spoke to Dear Mome about her choice, saying: ‘It wasn’t a decision I made lightly, nor was it a decision I even wanted to make. I was going through a really challenging time in my life.’
Panettiere began acting as a child, appearing in soap operas, then gained wider recognition for her role in the 2000 sports drama Remember the Titans with Denzel Washington, and as the voice of Dot in Pixar’s 1998 film A Bug’s Life.
Panettiere later found fame playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes before starring as country singer Juliette Barnes for six seasons on Nashville.
She earned two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress on the show, while her singing produced 11 entries on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
Panettiere’s film credits include 2006’s Bring It On: All or Nothing, the comedy-drama film Raising Helen, and appearances in Scream 4 and Scream VI as Kirby Reed.
Last week, Panettiere’s cause of death was confirmed by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.
A spokesman told The Daily Mail: ‘The cause of death has been ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol and Quetiapine. The manner of death has been ruled an accident.
Panettiere is remembered for her role as Claire Bennet on the hit NBC series Heroes
She played Juliette Barnes on the ABC show Nashville, releasing a number of her own songs
‘This case is administratively closed by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.’
Methocarbamol is a prescription muscle relaxant used to treat short-term muscle pain, while Quetiapine, commonly known by the brand name Seroquel, is an antipsychotic prescription medication used to treat conditions including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.
Alprazolam, known as Xanax, is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders and 4-ANPP is a chemical used as a main building block to make illegal fentanyl.
Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zach, were both at the scene when the actress was pronounced dead. An investigation into her death is ongoing.