LOS ANGELES – Wladimir Klitschko, the former fiancé of actor Hayden Panettiere, is asking a California court for temporary authority to manage their 11-year-old daughter’s inheritance following her mother’s death.
Klitschko, a former Ukrainian heavyweight champion, has had full custody of Kaya for most of her life. She has been living with him in Ukraine and is Panettiere’s only heir. In a petition filed in Los Angeles County, Klitschko points to property seized during a federal investigation, unauthorized access to Panettiere’s Los Angeles home and valuables that may be missing.
The petition describes the request as “urgent and essential,” arguing that Klitschko needs to be named temporary guardian of his daughter’s estate.
“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 filing says.
Klitschko’s attorneys submitted the petition Thursday, though it was not publicly reported until Monday by TMZ. The filing stresses that he is seeking limited, temporary authority to safeguard Kaya’s potential assets until a permanent estate administrator is appointed.
Panettiere, known for her roles in the television series “Heroes” and “Nashville,” died Aug. 16 at age 36. According to a coroner’s report obtained by The Associated Press, her death was caused by an accidental overdose involving several drugs, including fentanyl. She had completed a stint in rehabilitation only weeks earlier and was found unresponsive in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina.
Klitschko’s court filing says federal agents removed some of Panettiere’s belongings as part of an investigation. It argues that no authorized representative currently has the legal standing to communicate with authorities or ensure the property is returned.
SEE ALSO: Court Docs Say In-Laws Who Killed NYT Exec Threatened Wife
The petition also states that Panettiere and Klitschko had hired security before her death after an unidentified individual allegedly entered her home without permission. According to the filing, that person is expected to continue attempting to “misappropriate” items belonging to the estate.
A court hearing on Klitschko’s request is set for Oct. 8.
In a memoir published earlier this year, Panettiere wrote about her struggles with alcohol addiction and postpartum depression following Kaya’s birth in 2014. Kaya moved to Ukraine to live with Klitschko full-time when she was 2. Panettiere’s father told investigators that she had planned to travel to Ukraine to see her daughter just days after her death.
Klitschko, 50, won an Olympic gold medal and held multiple heavyweight titles from 2000 through 2015. He began dating Panettiere in 2009, and the couple became engaged in 2013.
His older brother, Vitali Klitschko, is also a former heavyweight champion and serves as mayor of Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital. The brothers, whose father was a Soviet major general, have been involved in efforts to defend their country during its war with Russia.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.