LOS ANGELES — The estate of late actress Hayden Panettiere has become the subject of a new legal dispute after her former fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, alleged that some of her belongings, including jewelry, were sold to a pawn shop following her death.
Klitschko, the father of Panettiere’s 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, is seeking temporary guardianship of the actress’ estate and has asked for law-enforcement assistance to help recover property that he believes should form part of his daughter’s inheritance.
The claims were made in a supplemental filing submitted to the Superior Court of California on Oct. 5, according to documents reviewed by Entertainment Weekly and reported by multiple outlets.
Klitschko did not publicly identify the person he believes was responsible for taking or selling the property.
Jewelry allegedly sold after Panettiere’s death
In the court filing, Klitschko said he had been informed that a non-family member previously connected to Panettiere had sold certain belongings belonging to the actress to a pawn shop.
The items are believed to include jewelry.
According to the filing, the pawn shop has declined to provide details about the specific items without being contacted by law enforcement.
Klitschko said this creates a continuing risk that other belongings could also be sold, transferred or otherwise become impossible to recover.
His legal team is seeking authority to act on behalf of Kaya, whom he describes in the filing as Panettiere’s sole intestate heir.
The allegation has not been established in court, and the identity of the person allegedly involved has not been disclosed.
Klitschko wants control of estate
Klitschko first sought temporary guardianship of Panettiere’s estate in September.
His latest filing argues that someone needs legal authority to protect, account for and recover the actress’ remaining assets.
Without an estate representative, Klitschko said he cannot effectively ask law enforcement to investigate the alleged loss of property.
He warned that further delays could cause financial harm to Kaya if additional belongings are sold or cannot be recovered.
The former professional boxer also alleged that people previously connected to Panettiere had accessed and destroyed some of her emails, adding another concern about the handling of her personal and digital property.
These claims remain allegations contained in court filings.
Security concerns were raised before her death
Klitschko’s earlier petition also described security concerns surrounding Panettiere’s property.
According to his filing, the actress had hired a security team shortly before her death after concerns that an individual had gained unauthorised access to her home.
He said valuables were removed from storage and locks were changed.
Klitschko subsequently expressed concern that the same individual or other people connected to Panettiere could continue attempting to obtain property belonging to her estate.
The latest filing therefore seeks to put the estate under formal supervision while efforts are made to determine what happened to Panettiere’s belongings.
Engagement ring also reported missing
The dispute follows earlier reports that Panettiere’s engagement ring from Klitschko was missing after her death.
The couple became engaged in 2013, and the ring was reportedly a significant piece of jewelry that Panettiere had kept after their relationship ended.
A report published earlier this month said people close to Panettiere believed the ring may have been taken during the final period of her life, although those claims were not independently established.
The latest court filing does not publicly identify the engagement ring as one of the items allegedly sold to a pawn shop.
Panettiere and Klitschko remained close after their split
Panettiere and Klitschko began dating in 2009 and became engaged in 2013 after reconciling following an earlier separation.
They welcomed Kaya in December 2014 and separated in 2018.
Kaya subsequently lived with Klitschko, who eventually obtained full custody.
Despite their separation, Panettiere and Klitschko maintained a close relationship as co-parents.
In an interview earlier this year, Panettiere described Klitschko as someone with whom she still shared considerable love and respect. She also referred to him as her best friend.
Following Panettiere’s death, Klitschko said he wanted their daughter to remember her mother with respect and as an important part of both their lives.
Panettiere died in August at age 36
Panettiere died on Aug. 16, 2026, at the age of 36.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office later determined that she suffered cardiac arrest caused by the toxic effects of multiple drugs, including fentanyl. Her death was ruled accidental.
Panettiere was known for her roles in television series including Heroes and Nashville, as well as films such as Scream 4.
Her death came after years in which she had spoken publicly about addiction, recovery and personal struggles.
Police had previously said their preliminary investigation did not indicate signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. Her on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother were present when emergency responders were called to the residence where she was found, according to a police report, but neither has been accused of involvement in her death.
Estate dispute now focuses on protecting her daughter’s inheritance
The latest legal action shifts attention from Panettiere’s death to what happens to her belongings and estate.
Klitschko’s position is that Kaya, as Panettiere’s heir, should be protected from the potential loss of property belonging to her mother.
His filing seeks the authority needed to work with law enforcement and other parties to identify and recover missing assets.
For now, however, there are still unanswered questions over which items are missing, who allegedly took them, what was sold to the pawn shop and whether any criminal investigation will follow.
The court proceedings are ongoing, and the allegations in Klitschko’s filings have not been proven.
What is clear is that, following Panettiere’s death, efforts to protect her remaining property have now become an important part of the legal proceedings surrounding her estate.
