GREENVILLE, S.C. — New details have emerged regarding the death of actress Hayden Panettiere, with local authorities confirming she died at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday, though the exact cause of her death remains undetermined as investigators continue their work.

According to television station WYFF4, police and emergency medical personnel responded to a report of an unresponsive woman at Judson Mill Lofts on Easley Bridge Road at 1:51 p.m. Sunday. Panettiere died at the scene, the station reported. Police told WYFF4 that their preliminary investigation “has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances,” though officials have not released additional information regarding what led to her death.

TMZ, which was first to report Panettiere’s death Sunday night, cited law enforcement sources confirming that police had responded to an incident involving the actress and that an investigation remained open. TMZ also reported that Panettiere and her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, had flown from Los Angeles to the South on Saturday, a day before her death, and that Hickerson’s family had been made aware of what happened. A source close to the actress told TMZ that Panettiere had been complaining of back pain over the past year, though the outlet noted it remained unclear whether that detail bore any connection to her death.

Panettiere’s death was formally confirmed by her representative in a statement provided to ABC News on Sunday night. Her father, Skip Panettiere, said in that statement that his daughter had been “an incredible light and a force of nature” to everyone who knew her and to the audiences who watched her on screen throughout her career, and he asked for privacy for the family as they process the loss.

The relationship between Panettiere and Hickerson has drawn renewed attention following her death, given its documented history of domestic violence. According to Variety’s reporting on Panettiere’s recently published memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” the book detailed what Variety described as her “abusive relationship” with Hickerson, who was served with a five-year restraining order in 2021. Hickerson was sentenced to 45 days in prison for domestic violence that same year. In the memoir, Panettiere recounted the escalation of the abuse, writing about the first time Hickerson slapped her and describing how, over time, “the slaps became hits,” according to Variety’s account of the book. She wrote that during one incident, he injured her face so severely that she did not leave her house for weeks.

Variety further reported that Panettiere and Hickerson reconciled after that period, but he was accused of hitting her again in 2020 while the couple was in Wyoming, resulting in his arrest on a domestic battery charge. It remains unclear, based on currently available reporting, why the two were reportedly together again in the days leading up to Panettiere’s death.

Despite the extensive documented history between Panettiere and Hickerson, no outlet has reported any confirmed connection between that relationship and the specific circumstances of her death, and police in Greenville have not indicated that Hickerson is considered a suspect or person of interest in their preliminary investigation. Authorities have stressed that their early findings have not pointed to foul play, though a full determination of cause of death will likely depend on further investigative steps, including any toxicology testing that may be conducted as part of a standard death investigation.

Speculation regarding a potential link between Panettiere’s death and her previously disclosed struggles with substance use has also circulated following the news, given that she had spoken publicly and repeatedly over the years about past battles with alcohol and drug use, including in her recently published memoir. However, no official source — including police, her family, her representatives or a medical examiner’s office — has indicated that drugs or alcohol played any role in her death. Absent confirmed toxicology results or another official finding, any such connection remains speculative rather than established fact.

Similarly, questions have arisen about whether Panettiere’s death could be connected to any underlying cardiac condition, particularly given that her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in February 2023 at age 28 from what his family described at the time as cardiomegaly, an enlarged heart, coupled with aortic valve complications. As of this report, there has been no official evidence or statement connecting Hayden Panettiere’s death to a similar hereditary heart condition, and this possibility likewise remains unconfirmed.

Tributes to Panettiere continued to circulate widely across social media and among former colleagues in the days following news of her death. Actress Selma Blair left comments on one of Panettiere’s final Instagram posts expressing grief over the loss, writing, “I love you. Don’t be gone. Don’t be gone. Please. Please,” followed shortly afterward by a second comment reading, “I love you whale tail my friend.”

Panettiere had published her memoir on May 19, roughly three months before her death, detailing her experiences growing up as a child star, her struggles with postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, and her path toward recovery from addiction. She had spoken emotionally in past interviews about the difficulty of relinquishing custody of her daughter, Kaya, to her ex-partner, boxer Wladimir Klitschko, in 2018, when Kaya was 7 years old. “I mean it was the worst signing those papers and like the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever, ever had to do in my life,” Panettiere said in a 2022 interview reflecting on that decision.

As of this report, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office has not released an official cause of death, and authorities have given no timeline for when a final determination might be made public. Additional updates are expected in the coming days as the investigation continues, with police reiterating that their preliminary findings have not identified any indication of criminal wrongdoing in connection with Panettiere’s death.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that federal authorities do not intend to take over the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “TODAY” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, even as the FBI continues to provide substantial support to state and local investigators working the monthslong case in Arizona.

Speaking on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” Blanche outlined the scope of federal involvement in the high-profile investigation, which has drawn national attention since Guthrie was first reported missing earlier this year. “We are working as hard as we can with the state and local law enforcement in every area, and that means not only providing assistance with manpower, but any sort of forensic assistance,” Blanche said.

Blanche made clear that despite the intensity of federal support, the Justice Department has no plans to assume primary control of the case from local authorities. “And so we’re going to continue to do that. Whether we come in with sharp elbows and take it over, that’s not necessarily the right thing to do for her or for anybody, but making sure that it’s done right and making sure that this investigation is being conducted the way that it should be is something that we’re doing,” he said.

Guthrie, 78, was reported missing on Feb. 1 from her home in Tucson, Arizona, according to earlier reporting on the case. Her disappearance quickly became a subject of intense national media coverage, in part because of her family’s connection to one of American television’s most recognizable morning news programs, and prompted a coordinated response involving both local and federal law enforcement resources.

The investigation is currently being led by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, with the FBI providing supporting assistance rather than direct oversight of the case, according to Blanche’s comments. Investigators have pursued an extensive range of leads over the course of the monthslong search, including analyzing hundreds of tips, reviewing doorbell camera footage from the surrounding area, and examining DNA evidence collected during the course of the investigation. Despite that substantial investigative effort, authorities have not named or arrested any suspects in connection with Guthrie’s disappearance.

During Sunday’s interview, Blanche acknowledged that he had no new public details to offer regarding the status of the search, expressing regret over the continued uncertainty facing Guthrie’s family and the broader public following the case. “I’m sorry to say that because I wish I had an update, and I know that this type of case is heartbreaking, especially when it plays out nationally like this one has,” Blanche said.

The case has seen several notable developments in recent weeks as investigators work to generate new leads in what has become an increasingly difficult and prolonged search. At the end of July, Arizona authorities released two ransom notes publicly in an effort to encourage members of the public to come forward with any relevant information. Law enforcement officials have said they believe the notes were sent by individuals connected to Guthrie’s disappearance shortly after she was reported missing, though the specific content and origin of the notes have not been fully detailed in public statements from investigators.

The investigation has also encountered complications stemming from fraudulent activity connected to the case. Earlier in July, a man from California pleaded guilty to federal charges after sending a fake ransom note in the aftermath of Guthrie’s disappearance, according to prior reporting. The case underscored the challenges investigators have faced in separating credible leads from false or malicious information as the search for Guthrie has continued to attract significant public attention.

Federal and state authorities have continued to urge anyone with information related to Guthrie’s whereabouts to come forward, emphasizing that even seemingly minor details could prove useful to investigators working to piece together what happened to her. The joint investigative effort between the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI remains active, though officials have offered few specifics regarding the current direction of the inquiry or whether investigators believe they are close to identifying a suspect.

Blanche’s comments Sunday represent one of the more detailed public statements from a senior federal law enforcement official regarding the Justice Department’s approach to the case since Guthrie’s disappearance was first reported in February. His remarks suggest that, despite the substantial resources the FBI has devoted to supporting the investigation, the Justice Department continues to view the case as fundamentally a matter for state and local authorities to lead, with federal agencies serving in a supporting capacity rather than directing the overall investigative strategy.

The distinction Blanche drew between federal assistance and federal takeover reflects a broader pattern in how the Justice Department and FBI typically engage with high-profile missing-persons cases that fall primarily under state jurisdiction. Federal law enforcement agencies commonly provide specialized forensic capabilities, additional investigative manpower and broader database access to support local law enforcement, while formal jurisdiction and lead responsibility for a case often remains with the state or county agency where the underlying incident occurred, absent specific federal charges or a formal determination that federal involvement is warranted.

As the investigation continues without a named suspect more than six months after Guthrie’s disappearance, public interest in the case has remained high, driven in part by her family’s prominent media profile and the emotionally difficult nature of a prolonged, unresolved search. Authorities have not indicated any specific timeline for when additional public updates might be provided, though Blanche’s comments suggest the current arrangement between local and federal investigators is likely to continue unless new developments prompt a change in approach.

Neither the Pima County Sheriff’s Department nor the FBI’s Phoenix field office has issued a separate public statement beyond Blanche’s remarks addressing the current status of the investigation as of this report. Officials have continued to emphasize that the case remains open and active, with authorities urging the public to report any information, however minor it may seem, that could assist in locating Guthrie or identifying those responsible for her disappearance.

Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is a capable and well-built flagship foldable smartphone, but according to a new review from Android Police, its biggest competitive threat may not come from rival manufacturers but from within Samsung’s own lineup, in the form of the smaller and less expensive Galaxy Z Fold 8.

The review, conducted by longtime technology journalist Andy Boxall, found that while the Z Fold 8 Ultra represents a refined and powerful device in its own right, the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 has proven more enjoyable to use in day-to-day scenarios, raising questions about whether the larger, pricier model risks becoming overshadowed by its own sibling. “Its problem is the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which is smaller, lighter, and more enjoyable to use,” the review states, noting that early sales figures already show the standard Z Fold 8 outperforming the Ultra model.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra starts at $2,100 for a 12GB RAM and 256GB storage configuration, with pricing rising to $2,300 for a 512GB version and $2,700 for a top-tier 16GB and 1TB model. The device is available through Samsung directly, most major carriers, and retailers including Amazon and Best Buy. Buyers purchasing directly from Samsung can select an exclusive Green Shadow color option, while other retailers offer Violet Shadow, Cream or Graphite finishes.

According to the review, the Z Fold 8 Ultra is functionally the successor to last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 rather than a direct evolution of the naming convention suggested by its Ultra branding. The device retains the same tall, narrow cover screen and large productivity-focused interior display that defined its predecessor, and shares an identical size, thickness and weight with the Z Fold 7. The review notes this consistency is not necessarily a negative, given that the Z Fold 7 had already made meaningful improvements in usability and manageability over the earlier Z Fold 6.

However, the review draws a clear contrast between the Ultra model and the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8, describing the newer device’s shape as offering a meaningful departure from the established big-screen foldable design that has defined competitors such as the Oppo Find N6 and Honor Magic V6. “The Galaxy Z Fold 8’s shape means you don’t have to compromise anymore, and it gives the Z Fold 8 Ultra a serious challenger from within,” the review states, suggesting that, for the first time, Samsung’s own product lineup presents consumers with a genuinely distinct choice between two big-screen foldable designs.

On the hardware side, the review praised the Z Fold 8 Ultra’s screen technology, highlighting Samsung’s Flex Titanium display construction, which incorporates a titanium film into the display stack to reduce the visibility of the crease that has historically affected foldable phone screens. Combined with an effective anti-reflective coating, the review found the inner display to be notably pleasant to use, particularly when compared with competitors such as the Motorola Razr Fold. Samsung’s hinge mechanism also received strong marks for its smooth motion and lack of audible sound during use.

The device’s camera system received a more mixed assessment. The review highlighted an upgraded 50-megapixel wide-angle camera as a genuine improvement over the previous 12-megapixel sensor, producing images the reviewer described as punchy, with deep contrast and strong detail. However, the phone’s 10-megapixel telephoto camera, which provides 3x optical zoom, was identified as a clear weak point, particularly in indoor comparisons against the Motorola Razr Fold’s 50-megapixel telephoto sensor. The review noted that outdoor telephoto performance was considerably better, tempering the overall criticism somewhat.

In terms of raw performance, the review found the Z Fold 8 Ultra’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor to be highly capable, delivering smooth performance across demanding tasks and benchmarking scenarios without signs of overheating, even under sustained stress testing with the phone’s screen closed in high-temperature conditions. Battery life was similarly strong, with the reviewer reporting roughly two days of use per charge under typical daily usage patterns involving three to four hours of screen time. Fast charging performance was also highlighted as a strength, with the device reaching a full charge in approximately 65 minutes when paired with a compatible Super Fast Charging 2.0 adapter, though the review cautioned that not every charger tested delivered consistent fast-charging speeds.

Software-focused features, including Samsung’s Flex Mode, which allows the phone’s hinge to hold a 90-degree angle for use as a makeshift laptop-style device, were highlighted as useful additions, alongside a new version of the Quick Share feature that now supports file transfers with Apple’s AirDrop system, allowing users to move photos and files between the Z Fold 8 Ultra and Apple devices in a matter of seconds. However, the review was less enthusiastic about several of Samsung’s newer artificial intelligence features, including tools called Now Brief and Now Nudge, which the reviewer found provided limited practical value in daily use.

The review also addressed broader questions about Samsung’s decision to use the “Ultra” branding for the device, suggesting the naming choice may be a strategic move aimed at preemptively competing with an anticipated foldable smartphone from Apple, which industry speculation suggests could arrive under a name such as “iPhone Ultra” later this year. The review pointed to Samsung’s history of adjusting its own product naming and positioning in apparent anticipation of Apple’s competitive moves, citing past examples including the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.

Ultimately, the review recommended that prospective buyers strongly consider testing both the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Z Fold 8 Ultra in person before making a purchasing decision, given the meaningfully different experiences the two devices offer despite their similar branding and shared release window. While the review characterized the Z Fold 8 Ultra as a well-made and highly capable foldable phone deserving of a strong overall rating, it concluded that the standard Z Fold 8 may represent the more satisfying option for many users, particularly given its lower price and more compact form factor. “I’ve enjoyed the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, but the hard truth is, I am counting down the days until I can go back to using the Z Fold 8,” the review states in its closing assessment.