Wladimir Klitschko granted authority over Hayden Panettiere estate in Los Angeles
Former boxer Wladimir Klitschko received legal authority over late actor Hayden Panettiere‘s property in Los Angeles on Thursday. The ruling protects the estate for their 11-year-old daughter, who is the actor’s sole heir. Judge Stephanie Santoro named him temporary guardian of the child’s estate.
Klitschko filed an urgent petition last week. Lawyer Diane Park told the Los Angeles County court that a nonrelative took items after Panettiere died. Park said the person tried to sell jewelry at a pawnshop.
Assets were also in danger during the death investigation, Park said. Klitschko needed legal authority to deal with pawnshop owners and police agencies, according to court documents. Panettiere’s taxes also must be filed this month, Park said.
Santoro approved the request at the remote hearing. Klitschko and his daughter appeared together by video link. The father and daughter spoke only to introduce themselves to the court.
Panettiere was found dead in Greenville, South Carolina, on Aug. 16 at age 36. Paramedics found the star of “Heroes” and “Nashville” unresponsive in an apartment. A coroner’s report said she died from an accidental overdose of drugs, including fentanyl.
Her on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson was present at the residence. His brother Zach Hickerson was also at the home. Panettiere was in a rehabilitation facility weeks before her death, the report stated.
In his Sept. 24 petition, Klitschko said he wanted to protect his daughter’s future assets.
“There is a high probability that property belonging to Hayden’s Estate may be lost, damaged or dissipated,” the document said.
Court filings stated the former couple previously hired security guards for her home. An unauthorized person had gained access to the residence, according to the filing. Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, filed a document consenting to the appointment.
Klitschko held several heavyweight boxing titles between 2000 and 2015. He began dating Panettiere in 2009. The couple got engaged in 2013.
His brother Vitali Klitschko is the mayor of Kyiv, Ukraine. The child has lived with Klitschko in Ukraine for most of her life. Panettiere wrote in a memoir about past struggles with alcohol addiction and postpartum depression.
Temporary estate guardianship grants an individual short-term legal control over property during unexpected estate disputes. Probate courts in Los Angeles County issue these orders to protect assets before naming a permanent administrator. The representative manages urgent financial matters and safeguards property for heirs.
Panettiere’s father told investigators that she planned to visit her daughter in Ukraine before she died. The temporary guardianship remains in effect until a judge selects a permanent estate administrator.
