Actress Hayden Panettiere&#8217;s on-again, off-again boyfriend raised so many red flags among her neighbors that her homeowners&#8217; association (HOA) put up &#8220;wanted&#8221;-style posters warning residents not to let him enter the property.
About one year before Panettiere&#8217;s sudden death on Sunday, the HOA <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/08/19/hayden-panettiere-hoa-posted-warning-of-brian-hickerson/">posted warnings</a> featuring photos of Brian Hickerson, who had been linked to the &#8220;Nashville&#8221; actress for years despite his domestic abuse conviction. The posters instructed residents not to allow Hickerson into the building and to call the police if they saw him on the property.
Mia Terrazas, who lived next door to Panettiere in her West Hollywood, California, condo, told entertainment site TMZ that the posters went up in August 2025 following years of disturbances involving Hickerson and complaints about his presence in &#8220;common areas&#8221; around the complex.
Terrazas said she was afraid of Hickerson and told Inside Edition that she called 911 on a number of occasions over disturbances coming from Panettiere&#8217;s apartment.
&#8220;I was terrified of him, and I have a concealed carry [permit], so that&#8217;s saying a lot,&#8221; she said.
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcO8cHQD_18/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
&nbsp;
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div>
</div>
&nbsp;
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcO8cHQD_18/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Inside Edition (@insideedition)</a>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
The HOA took the signs down after about one week, Terrazas said, telling her only that Hickerson was &#8220;no longer considered a threat.&#8221;
Hickerson was in the South Carolina Airbnb rental with Panettiere when she was found dead on Sunday afternoon, reportedly sleeping in another room when his brother, Zach Hickerson, discovered the actress unresponsive in a chair.
Police reportedly showed up on Wednesday at a Greenville, South Carolina, home owned by Hickerson&#8217;s grandmother and said that they were there to conduct a &#8220;welfare check,&#8221; though officials said the call was unrelated to the investigation into Panettiere&#8217;s death.
An <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hayden-panettiere-autopsy-reveals-new-details-of-her-death">autopsy</a> performed one day after Panettiere&#8217;s death —which came just five days before her 37th birthday — <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hayden-panettiere-autopsy-reveals-new-details-of-her-death">revealed</a> no &#8220;signs of trauma&#8221; that would have contributed to her death. Her official cause and manner of death remain undetermined pending further investigation and additional testing, including toxicology results, which the Greenville County coroner has said could take up to eight weeks.

Hayden Panettiere

Hayden Panettiere’s HOA Took Drastic Step Against Boyfriend Before Her Death

Celebrities

Death

Drugs

Hollywood

Karmelo Anthony was reportedly &#8220;stalking&#8221; an ex-girlfriend and &#8220;obsessed&#8221; with weapons and fighting — and had sent threatening texts just hours before he stabbed Austin Metcalf to death.
Collin County Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye presented several pieces of evidence on Thursday that the jury in Anthony&#8217;s case never saw — including a statement from an ex-girlfriend who told a school assistant principal on April 2, 2025, that Anthony had been &#8220;stalking&#8221; her — The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/20/us-news/karmelo-anthony-prosecutor-reveals-trove-of-disturbing-evidence-jury-never-saw/">reported</a>.
She also said at the time that he was &#8220;obsessed&#8221; with guns and knives. Just hours before he stabbed Metcalf, he sent her a photo of the knife along with the statement, &#8220;I&#8217;m low-key on the verge.&#8221;
&#8220;He was spiraling,&#8221; Wirskye told the court on Thursday.
The texts — as well as the ex-girlfriend&#8217;s &#8220;stalking&#8221; claim — were not introduced as evidence during the trial as part of a deal between the prosecution and the defense to leave prior behavior out and focus solely on what had happened on the day of the stabbing.
&#8220;I offered the agreement. Let’s stay away from historical character and stick to the facts — what happened under the tent,&#8221; Wirskye said.
The deal also meant that Metcalf&#8217;s prior behavior was not admitted into evidence — a move that Wirskye said was calculated to prevent the racial tensions already complicating the situation from getting even worse. Metcalf&#8217;s juvenile record, Wirskye explained, included graffiti that he referred to as &#8220;vile racist stuff&#8221; — but he did not offer any specifics.
During the trial, the prosecution alleged that Anthony had been the aggressor from the start — and witnesses testified to that, saying that at one point he&#8217;d put his hand in his bag and warned, &#8220;Touch me and see what happens.&#8221;
Anthony was ultimately <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/karmelo-anthony-found-guilty-heres-what-comes-next">convicted of murder</a> and sentenced to 35 years in prison — but he has appealed the conviction and his attorneys have argued that the original judge should be removed from his case.
The court determined on Wednesday that Judge John Roach would be removed from the appeal, and retired District Court Judge Michael Chitty will be tasked with reviewing Anthony&#8217;s retrial motion.

karmelo_behind_bars__720

SEE IT: Disturbing Detail Karmelo Anthony Jury Never Saw

SEE IT: Disturbing Evidence Karmelo Anthony Jury Never Saw

Austin Metcalf

Karmelo Anthony

Murder

murder trial

Stabbing

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has joined the investigation into the recent death of actress Hayden Panettiere, who died of an apparent overdose on Sunday afternoon.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/19/arts/television/hayden-panettiere-dea-investigation-drugs.html?eafs_enabled=false">reported</a> on Thursday that the DEA — which often works with local law enforcement to investigate drug-related incidents — would be assisting the Greenville Police Department in the same way that they had assisted the Los Angeles Police in investigating the death of &#8220;Friends&#8221; star Matthew Perry.
The &#8220;Heroes&#8221; star was found unresponsive in a South Carolina Airbnb rental. First responders indicated immediately that she had suffered a cardiac arrest believed to be linked to an overdose. Her on-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson provided investigators with a &#8220;bag of medication&#8221; that she had been taking leading up to her death.
In years past, Panettiere had been open about her struggles with addiction and alcohol abuse — issues she said were exacerbated by postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter Kaya and old injuries that occasionally flared up — and recent reporting suggests that those struggles were far from behind her.
Page Six <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/08/19/celebrity-news/hayden-panettiere-still-in-throes-of-addiction-just-three-months-ago-got-whippets-and-booze-delivered-to-hotel-sources/?_gl=1*z136mf*_gcl_au*ODI0NDI1MjE1LjE3ODcyNDE5NzY.*_ga*MjA2NTMxODYyMi4xNzg3MTY4Mjg3*_ga_0DZ7LHF5PZ*czE3ODcyMzc0MzMkbzMkZzEkdDE3ODcyNDE5NzYkajIyJGwwJGgw">reported</a> that in May, while promoting her memoir &#8220;This Is Me: A Reckoning,&#8221; Panettiere attempted to have nitrous oxide delivered to her hotel.
According to an unnamed source, hotel security &#8220;stopped a [delivery service] order to her hotel room, which was several industrial grade nitrous oxide cans that she was planning on huffing.&#8221;
&#8220;She had alcohol and whippets delivered. They wouldn’t allow it up to her room,&#8221; another source claimed.
Panettiere&#8217;s friend and rep Kasey Kitchen denied the claims, saying, &#8220;She was in Nashville for a short amount of time and slept for most of it. She also had private security with her.&#8221;
But entertainment site TMZ also <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/08/20/hayden-panettiere-director-reveals-intervention-talks/#continued">reported</a> that her team and &#8220;A Breed Apart&#8221; director Griff Furst had discussed staging an intervention for the actress as recently as 2025.
Furst said that while they were filming, it was clear that Panettiere was &#8220;fighting to stay sober&#8221; — and that he&#8217;d agreed when her team approached him about a possible intervention. He also made it clear that he was not impressed by the &#8220;dark energy&#8221; surrounding Panettiere&#8217;s on-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, who had visited the set with her. He said that she &#8220;deserved better company&#8221; — and added that despite his willingness to help, he did not believe an intervention ever took place.

Hayden Panettiere Death Probe Escalates As Feds Step In

Top Drug Cops Join Probe Into Hayden Panettiere's Death

Drug Enforcement Agency

overdose

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made it clear to his daughter Paloma, 18, that he could &#8220;say no&#8221; if she was leaning toward attending Harvard University.
Duffy spoke to his soon-to-be college-bound daughter about her options during an episode of his YouTube series &#8220;The Great American Road Trip&#8221; that included a trip to Boston and stops at both Harvard and Boston University.
The clip began with Paloma suggesting that her parents would have a hard time refusing to let her go if Harvard was her choice, but Duffy was far from convinced.
&#8220;You can&#8217;t say no,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;To Harvard?&#8221; Duffy asked. &#8220;Me and Mom can say no.&#8221;
The video cut to show Duffy with his wife, Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy, talking about their strong Catholic faith and how they believed it was a foundation for everything they did.
&#8220;It&#8217;s the basis of our marriage,&#8221; Campos-Duffy said. &#8220;It&#8217;s the basis of our family, so I&#8217;m nervous about the idea of Paloma going to Harvard. We spent a lot of time nurturing and providing formation for our kids, giving them an environment where they are steeped in faith, in values. and so the idea of dropping her off at a place that would undermine that or try to undo all those things makes me worried.&#8221;
Duffy added that what he wanted was to see his kids exposed to multiple viewpoints — and he was concerned that might not be what ultimately transpired at some liberal universities: &#8220;I don&#8217;t want them fed only one viewpoint that&#8217;s contrary to the way my kids were raised.&#8221;
He went on to tell Paloma that he believed she was a smart and beautiful young girl, but he worried that Harvard had &#8220;professionalized figuring out how they can take good, young girls like you and, I think, corrupt their minds.&#8221;
Duffy&#8217;s comments prompted immediate backlash from the Left, as the claimed that he was &#8220;afraid&#8221; that Paloma might get a glimpse of the outside world and decide that her parents were wrong about everything.
&#8220;Insanely stupid,&#8221; author Don Winslow posted. &#8220;I feel bad for @SecDuffy&#8217;s children.&#8221;
&#8220;Amazing — Trump Transpo secretary Sean Duffy tells his daughter he may refuse to send her to Harvard because it will &#8216;corrupt her mind&#8217; … while simultaneously saying he wants her to &#8216;make choices for herself,'&#8221; The Tennessee Holler <a href="https://x.com/TheTNHoller/status/2090280975406174716">posted</a>. &#8220;(Translation: he worries she’ll finally realize how full of [crap] he is).&#8221;
Very few of those complaining acknowledged the fact that, as Paloma&#8217;s parents, the Duffys would be the ones on the hook to pay for their daughter&#8217;s education — and thus had legitimate standing to challenge the merits of what they would be financing.

Screenshot

Sean Duffy’s Harvard Advice To Teen Daughter Sends Left Into Meltdown

WATCH: Sean Duffy Tells Teen Daughter That He'd 'Say No' To Harvard

College

Harvard University

Politics

Sean Duffy

FBI agents surprised disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) when he arrived at the San Francisco airport on Saturday, slapping him with a search warrant.
Sources familiar with the law enforcement action confirmed to The Daily Wire that Swalwell&#8217;s phone and other electronic devices were seized by agents at the airport.
Federal law enforcement officials also <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/20/us-news/fbi-confronts-eric-swalwell-at-airport-seizes-electronics-in-sexual-misconduct-probe-report/">served and executed</a> search warrants on Swalwell&#8217;s residence in Washington, D.C., where additional electronic devices were seized. Several sources confirmed that the seizure was related to an ongoing criminal probe into the 45-year-old former California lawmaker stemming from a number of accusations of sexual misconduct and even rape.
The FBI seizure report comes just days after newly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-fbi-files-blow-open-swalwells-long-running-fang-fang-mystery">declassified</a> documents shed light on Swalwell&#8217;s repeated dalliances with Chinese spy Christine Fang (&#8220;Fang Fang&#8221;). He has not responded to the new document dump.
Swalwell, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16066819/Eric-Swalwell-FBI-San-Francisco-seize-electronics-sexual-misconduct.html">reports</a> first published by The Daily Mail, cooperated with federal agents when they greeted him at the airport on Saturday, and neither he nor his wife or children were present at the D.C. residence when agents entered the premises.
The former gubernatorial candidate faced a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-accusers-the-fbi-yacht-girls-things-go-from-bad-to-worse-for-swalwell">slew of accusations</a> from several women who accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior — and one former staffer who claimed that he raped her twice when she was too inebriated to have given her consent — and ultimately dropped out of the race in California before the primary election. He resigned from Congress days later.
Swalwell has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/swalwell-wont-drop-out-despite-his-metoo-era-kavanaugh-demand">maintained his innocence</a> throughout, consistently claiming that the accusations against him were politically motivated. Before the women went public, he was leading the field in the gubernatorial primary – but because California uses a &#8220;jungle primary&#8221; system that advances only the top two candidates overall, Swalwell claimed he was targeted in order to keep him from splintering the Democratic vote. His exit, he maintained, was strategically designed to prevent a general election matchup that locked out the Democratic Party entirely.
The Department of Justice opened an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/swalwell-under-federal-investigation-for-alleged-sexual-assault">official investigation</a> into Swalwell in April, and he&#8217;s stayed relatively quiet in the weeks since.

Eric Swalwell

FBI Surprises Eric Swalwell At Airport, Seizes Key Evidence

FBI Surprised Disgraced Rep. Swalwell At Airport, Seized Electronics

Media

Sexual Misconduct

Hayden Panettiere said injuries she suffered after being thrown from a zebra on a movie set continued to cause her pain decades later, with the actress also recounting how a flare-up of &#8220;an old neck injury&#8221; contributed to her escalating opioid use.
Panettiere, who died suddenly on Sunday at 36, wrote in her recent memoir, &#8220;This Is Me: A Reckoning,&#8221; about the lasting effects of an accident she suffered at 14 while filming the 2005 movie &#8220;Racing Stripes&#8221; in South Africa.
Panettiere said she was performing a stunt when she was <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/08/19/celebrity-news/hayden-panettieres-old-injuries-from-zebra-fall-still-bothered-her-months-before-death/">thrown from the zebra</a> she was riding, sustaining a concussion, whiplash, and injuries to two vertebrae in her neck.
&#8220;I kept my mouth shut and endured the pain in my back and neck,&#8221; she wrote in the memoir, adding, &#8220;Over 20 years later, these injuries still bother me.&#8221;
The &#8220;Nashville&#8221; actress also recalled that injury when discussing her struggles with addiction, both to alcohol and opioids, saying that her dependence on the pain medications in particular had escalated when an &#8220;old neck injury flared up.&#8221;
Panettiere was found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday afternoon. First responders found her in cardiac arrest and attempted cardiac life support, but she could not be revived. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:32 pm.
Brian Hickerson, Panettiere&#8217;s on-again, off-again boyfriend, was at the residence when she died and showed investigators a &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-detail-emerges-about-what-hayden-panettiere-was-taking-before-her-death">bag of medication</a>&#8221; that the actress had been taking at the time of her death. He said she was on nine medications.
An <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hayden-panettiere-autopsy-reveals-new-details-of-her-death">autopsy</a> performed on Monday revealed that there were no signs of trauma that might have contributed to her death, according to the Greenville County Coroner&#8217;s Office.
Her cause and manner of death remain undetermined pending further investigation and additional testing. Toxicology results could take several weeks.
Authorities have not determined whether opioids, other medications, or Panettiere&#8217;s previous injuries played any role in her death.

Warner Bros.’ Premiere “Racing Stripes” – After Party

Hayden Panettiere Said Bizarre Zebra Accident Left Her With Chronic Pain As Opioid Use Escalated

On-Set Zebra Accident Blamed For Hayden Panettiere's Opioid Use

drug addiction

Movies

Opioids

President Donald Trump offered a remarkably specific assessment of North Korea&#8217;s secretive nuclear arsenal on Wednesday, saying dictator Kim Jong Un has 57 nuclear weapons as he confirmed plans for another meeting with the North Korean leader.
Trump made the comments during an impromptu meeting with reporters while touring a new White House helipad, where he was asked whether the two leaders would meet again.
The reporter began by asking whether or not Trump had been exchanging letters with Kim, and while the president refused to answer that question, he asserted that it was a good thing to have a working relationship with a leader who has nuclear weapons.
&#8220;I can’t tell you that,” Trump said of any possible correspondence. &#8220;But I get along with him. And you know what? The fact that I get along with him, that’s a good thing, not a bad thing.&#8221;
&#8220;He has 57 very powerful nuclear weapons. They should have never allowed it to happen. They should&#8217;ve never allowed it,&#8221; Trump continued. &#8220;If I were president [then] I wouldn&#8217;t have allowed it, but he&#8217;s got them.&#8221;
The figure was notably more precise than American officials typically offer, though it aligns with widely reported outside estimates. It remains unclear how Trump arrived at the number.
Trump said again that he got along well with Kim — and that he knew the North Korean leader &#8220;very well.&#8221;
&#8220;He&#8217;s going to be fine as long as we have a smart president,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;He&#8217;s going to be fine. If we have a dumb president, then he&#8217;s probably not going to be so fine.&#8221;
The reporter then pressed him further, asking whether he planned to meet with Kim before the end of the year.
&#8220;Yeah, I will be,&#8221; Trump replied before turning and walking away.
A <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/trump-pushes-for-kim-jong-un-meeting-this-year-2a9f9ae0?eafs_enabled=false">report</a> published Tuesday by The Wall Street Journal indicated that Trump has been pushing for a meeting with the North Korean leader, possibly in November, in conjunction with an already-planned trip to Asia. The report suggested that Trump&#8217;s goal was to encourage the dictator to abandon his country&#8217;s nuclear weapons program altogether.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Trump Gives Surprisingly Specific Number For Kim Jong Un’s Nuclear Arsenal

Trump Reveals How Many Nuclear Weapons Kim Jong Un Has

Donald Trump

Global Politics

Kim Jong Un

North Korea

Nuclear Weapons

A cocaine-trafficking ring run through two Penn State University fraternities got busted after investigators discovered one of the suspected college kingpins was accepting Venmo payments for his drugs under his real name.
A confidential informant reportedly <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/penn-state-frat-brother-thought-arrest-was-prank-led-authorities-cocai-rcna593188">told authorities</a> that Thomas Robinson, a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity, was selling cocaine out of the fraternity house under the name &#8220;T-Rob.&#8221; He was accepting payments for the drugs via Venmo — under the name Tom-Robinson, according to court documents filed in 2024.
The alleged multi-state <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/19/us-news/penn-state-fraternity-cocaine-ring-busted-thanks-to-absolutely-obvious-mistake/">drug ring</a> operated out of the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternity houses and moved large amounts of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/frat-bros-busted-after-pledges-forced-to-cut-cocaine-in-university-drug-cartel">cocaine</a> on the Pennsylvania college campus in 2023 and 2024, state Attorney General Dave Sunday&#8217;s (R-PA) office announced on Monday.
&#8220;This was a coordinated and highly-profitable drug-trafficking crew revolving around two senior members of the fraternities, other fraternity brothers, and pledges,&#8221; Sunday&#8217;s office said. &#8220;In fact, according to the evidence uncovered, cutting and packaging cocaine was, for some pledges, an indoctrination into the fraternities.&#8221;
Robinson and Agostino Abbatiello, 24, allegedly served as the operation&#8217;s main suppliers, making numerous trips throughout 2023 and 2024 to New York City and Philadelphia to buy large quantities of cocaine, according to Sunday&#8217;s office. They allegedly brought the drugs back to the Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon houses, where the cocaine was cut and packaged for resale, mainly to Penn State students.
Sunday&#8217;s office announced charges against 14 individuals in connection with the bust — four current students, nine former students, and Robinson&#8217;s father, prominent Pittsburgh attorney Paul Robinson.
Prosecutors say the elder Robinson tried to conceal evidence after authorities began investigating his son. He was charged with &#8220;felony tampering, hindering apprehension for taking steps to conceal evidence, including a safe containing drugs and cash, and obstructing the investigation.&#8221;
Abbatiello, who allegedly ran the operation alongside Robinson, surrendered on Tuesday morning after missing his scheduled arraignment on Monday.
Magisterial District Judge Kelley Gillette-Walker arraigned Abbatiello on a number of felonies — including possession with intent to deliver and conspiracy. Abbatiello was denied bail at arraignment.
Penn State said it placed Delta Upsilon on interim suspension while the university investigates the allegations. Sigma Chi is not recognized by Penn State and operates outside the university&#8217;s oversight, according to the school.
The Office of the Attorney General&#8217;s Drug Strike Force Section will be tasked with prosecuting the cases.

Drug dealing

Frat Bros Ran A Cocaine Empire Until One Boneheaded Move Blew It Up

The Stupid Mistake That Busted College Kingpin's Coke Ring

Cocaine

drug trafficking

Penn State

Penn State University

Two police cars arrived at the South Carolina home belonging to Brian Hickerson&#8217;s grandmother early Wednesday morning — just three days after the sudden death of actress Hayden Panettiere, Hickerson&#8217;s apparently on-again, off-again girlfriend.
Page Six <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/08/19/celebrity-news/cops-pay-visit-to-hayden-panettieres-boyfriend-brian-hickersons-family-home-days-after-actress-death/?_gl=1*1i39vc8*_ga_0DZ7LHF5PZ*czE3ODcxNTE3MzUkbzEkZzEkdDE3ODcxNTE3OTUkajYwJGwwJGgw">reported</a> that two marked cars from the Greenville Police Department rolled up on property owned by Betty Ellison, knocking on several doors at the home but receiving no answer. The outlet stated that Zach Hickerson, Brian&#8217;s brother, was on the property at the time.
Both Brian and Zach had been spotted at the property one day prior, but neither came to the door when police arrived. After about three minutes, officers left the home — but returned less than two hours later to conduct a &#8220;welfare check.&#8221; They stayed on the property for about 10 minutes before leaving again.
Zach Hickerson, 38, was reportedly the first person to discover the late actress unresponsive when he walked into the Airbnb rental they were sharing on Sunday afternoon. Police on the scene said that he appeared to be visibly shaken as first responders worked on the 36-year-old &#8220;Nashville&#8221; star.
Brian, who had been involved with Panettiere on and off for a number of years, was reportedly asleep in another room when she was found — and did not appear to be upset until the actress was officially declared dead a short time later. He provided investigators with the &#8220;bag of medication&#8221; that she had been taking in the days leading up to her death.
Panettiere and Hickerson had a rocky relationship, and had once split after she accused him of domestic violence. Hickerson was arrested on Valentine&#8217;s Day in 2020 after reportedly striking Panettiere &#8220;with a closed fist,&#8221; and when police arrived he&#8217;d been locked out of their Airbnb rental in Wyoming.
Following his arrest, despite being informed that he was not allowed to contact the &#8220;Heroes&#8221; actress, Hickerson called her phone repeatedly and sent <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/08/18/celebrity-news/hayden-panettieres-boyfriend-brian-hickerson-allegedly-sent-threatening-texts-after-2020-arrest/">several texts</a> that appeared to be overtly threatening.
&#8220;Time to go to war I guess,&#8221; he wrote.
In another text, Hickerson appeared to be hinting at leverage he held over Panettiere: &#8220;After Wyoming and LA disappears so do the videos.&#8221;
&#8220;Even if i sit in a jail cell for ten years. All of the stuff that is vaulted overseas with my people will come out the second I step foot into prison,&#8221; another text read, according to <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/08/18/brian-hickerson-texts-to-hayden-panettiere-after-his-2020-arrest-revealed/">entertainment site TMZ</a>. &#8220;And all that does is hurt your name while simultaneously clearing my name. And at that point who actually cares?&#8221;
In another alleged text, Hickerson suggested that his attempts to stay out of court were ultimately for Panettiere&#8217;s protection: &#8220;I don’t want to go to court, for you. I will be f*cking fine in court, trust me, it’s for you.&#8221;

Celebrity Sightings In Palisades – March 8, 2023

Cops Make Visit Tied To Hayden Panettiere’s Boyfriend

Cops Swarm Boyfriend's Grandmother's Home Two Days After Hayden Panettierre’s Death

Domestic Violence

The late actress Hayden Panettiere was taking a &#8220;bag of medication&#8221; at the time of her sudden death on Sunday afternoon.
According to a <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hayden-panettieres-ex-boyfriend-was-scene-died-police-report-says-rcna593125">report</a> from NBC News, Panettiere&#8217;s on-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson handed over a bag containing the medications she&#8217;d been taking in the days leading up to her death — and although the names of the medications were redacted, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/18/us-news/hayden-panettiere-was-on-bag-of-medication-at-time-of-death-as-cops-reveal-boyfriends-strange-reaction-to-her-overdose/">reported</a> that there were nine drugs listed in the Greenville City Police Department report.
Entertainment site TMZ <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/08/18/hayden-panettiere-found-while-boyfriend-slept/">reported</a> that Panettiere, who died just days before what would have been her 37th birthday, was discovered unresponsive in a chair by Zach Hickerson, Brian&#8217;s brother. Brian was reportedly asleep in another room of the Greenville, South Carolina, apartment they&#8217;d rented through Airbnb.
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hayden-panettieres-ex-boyfriend-was-scene-died-police-report-says-rcna593125">Responding officer</a> Matthew Bryan said in his report that he first spoke with Zach — who was clearly distraught while first responders worked on Panettiere — but that Brian did not appear to be visibly upset until the actress was officially declared dead.
Additional reporting said Brian and the &#8220;Nashville&#8221; actress had been more on-again than off-again of late, but kept their <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/08/17/hayden-panettiere-brian-hickerson-forced-to-keep-relationship-private/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">relationship</a> quiet because her publicity team felt his presence would likely hurt her book sales.
Panettiere&#8217;s estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, also voiced concern about Hickerson in her first public comments following her daughter&#8217;s death: &#8220;This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson.&#8221;
Hickerson has not been accused by authorities of involvement in Panettiere&#8217;s death.
&#8220;I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry,&#8221; Vogel added. &#8220;It is a struggle and it&#8217;s a very challenging industry and it&#8217;s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.&#8221;
Hickerson and Panettiere had both expressed anger toward Vogel in the past.
&#8220;Hayden&#8217;s mother is by far one of the worst people I&#8217;ve ever met in my life,&#8221; Hickerson told TMZ in May — and Panettiere said on a recent podcast that she&#8217;d been broken by her mother&#8217;s response when she asked if they could just be mother and daughter instead of manager and actress.
&#8220;You owe me,&#8221; Vogel reportedly said at the time, and <a href="https://people.com/hayden-panettiere-estranged-mom-speaks-out-after-death-12061596">Panettiere</a> told podcast host Jay Shetty that she&#8217;d been heartbroken to realize that she&#8217;d meant &#8220;money.&#8221;
The police report indicated that the responding officer was wearing a body cam at the scene, but that footage has not been released.
An autopsy was performed on Monday, and the coroner&#8217;s office released a statement saying that &#8220;no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death&#8221; — but the investigation is still ongoing. Toxicology reports could take weeks to compile.
&nbsp;

An Alternative View Of The 21st Annual Critics’ Choice Awards

New Detail Emerges About What Hayden Panettiere Was Taking Before Her Death

Hayden Panettiere Was Taking 'Bag Of Medication' When She Died 

actress

More than a dozen fraternity brothers have been arrested for their roles in a drug-trafficking ring that involved members of two Penn State University fraternities.
Thirteen fraternity brothers from Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon — four of whom are still students at the university — and one father are facing a slew of charges related to a multi-state narcotics enterprise. The ringleaders of the operation had suppliers in Philadelphia and New York City and sold their product primarily to students at the university, according to a <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/18/us-news/13-penn-state-frat-bros-busted-in-cocaine-trafficking-ringincluding-ny-student-at-top-of-the-food-chain/">report</a> from The New York Post.
According to Attorney General Dave Sunday (R-PA), the fraternity kingpins even coerced younger pledges into taking part in their illicit scheme.
&#8220;This was a coordinated and highly-profitable drug-trafficking crew revolving around two senior members of the fraternities, other fraternity brothers, and pledges. In fact, according to the evidence uncovered, cutting and packaging cocaine was, for some pledges, an indoctrination into the fraternities,&#8221; Sunday said in a statement.
&#8220;According to the investigation and a grand jury presentment, two members of the organization — Agostino Abbatiello and Thomas Robinson — were the main suppliers for the group, making regular trips to Philadelphia and New York for large quantities of cocaine,&#8221; a <a href="https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/taking-action/ag-sunday-state-college-police-announce-charges-against-14-people-in-cocaine-trafficking-ring-involving-penn-state-u-students-fraternities/">press release</a> from Sunday&#8217;s office read, in part.
Abbatiello, upon learning that authorities at Penn State had gotten wind of the drug-trafficking scheme, reportedly &#8220;begged them not to talk about his involvement.&#8221;
Five of the men have been charged with felonies related to the operation. Abbattiello and Robinson, along with Mohammed Hurabi and Lars Zeepvat, have been charged with involvement in &#8220;corrupt organizations, conspiracy, and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity,&#8221; The Post reported.
Robinson&#8217;s father, Paul Robinson, was also charged with felonies related to his efforts to obstruct the investigation and hide or tamper with evidence — including cash and drugs that he had reportedly hidden in a safe.
Robert Zanolla, also 24, was &#8220;charged with felony conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility.&#8221;
The others — Liam Smith, Michael Brogno, Kaden Howe, Connor Hurleigh, Seth Beardsley, Kyle Ridpath, Daniel Price, and Charles Wiseman — were charged with misdemeanors.
The cases, according to Sunday&#8217;s office, &#8220;will be prosecuted by the Office of Attorney General Drug Strike Force Section.&#8221;
Andrea Dowhower, Penn State’s vice president for Student Affairs, issued a statement following the arrests:
<blockquote>We are horrified by these serious allegations against current and former students. Criminal activity, including hazing, such as this has no place at our institution, and we will cooperate with law enforcement in any way we can. We will continue to enhance our efforts around health and safety and hazing educational efforts for all our organizations.</blockquote>
The university has taken action against Delta Upsilon, putting the entire fraternity on a temporary suspension — but because Sigma Chi is not an officially recognized fraternity at Penn State, that house is not under a similar suspension.

image of drugs

Frat Bros Busted After Pledges Forced To Cut Cocaine In University Drug Cartel

Frat Bros. Forced Pledges To Cut Cocaine In University Drug Cartel

Fraternity

After a primary season marked by socialist wins — and a party that can&#8217;t seem to stop the dramatic lurch to the Left — Democrats are losing the public relations game with average voters, and they&#8217;re losing big.
CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten detailed the Democratic Party&#8217;s flagging favorability numbers during a Tuesday morning segment — and although he was also careful to note that President Donald Trump was not faring any better in recent polls, he made it clear that Democrats still had some serious work to do ahead of November&#8217;s midterm elections.
&#8220;Donald Trump&#8217;s political brand ain&#8217;t too hot to trot these days,&#8221; Enten explained, holding his nose for emphasis when he added, &#8220;But I gotta tell you, P-U when it comes to the Democratic brand.&#8221;
&#8220;The net favorability rating of the Democratic Party — you know, back in 2018, when Democrats during the first Trump presidency, right? When they were able to win back control of the House? They were even,&#8221; Enten said.
Enten&#8217;s tone was incredulous as he dropped the comparison to 2026: &#8220;Twenty-five points underwater! Oof. Oof. You know, the Dem brand, it&#8217;s not too good these days, it&#8217;s not too good. It kind of smells like a New York sidewalk in the summer.&#8221;
But what Enten did not address was the wide ideological chasm between the Democrats who ran — and ultimately flipped a number of seats — in the 2018 midterms and the Democrats who have secured primary wins in the 2026 cycle.
Among the 2018 winners were two who eventually switched their party affiliation either to Republicans or independent: New Jersey&#8217;s Rep. Jeff Van Drew — now a Republican — and Arizona&#8217;s former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who declared her affiliation to be independent in 2022. Others, like Reps. Max Rose (D-NY), Antonio Delgado (D-NY), Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) were somewhat moderate in their voting records.
Just eight years later, the big primary wins have gone to a number of far-Left candidates who openly attack Israel and embrace socialism — and even a few who are card-carrying members of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Michigan&#8217;s Democratic Senate nominee <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dsa-whistleblower-says-hell-do-everything-he-can-to-elect-mike-rogers">Abdul El-Sayed</a>, for example, proudly campaigned alongside antisemitic communist and Mao Zedong superfan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cnn-gives-el-sayed-a-chance-to-renounce-hasan-piker-he-does-the-opposite">Hasan Piker</a> — and he was not the only one to do so. DSA-aligned candidates won primaries in New York on the coattails of Democratic socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
And as more moderate Democrats lose to primary challenges from the far-Left, a number of others have opted to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/panic-sets-in-dems-tailspin-as-they-realize-the-hostile-socialist-takeover-already-started">fall in line</a> in an attempt to save their own skins, defending the rise of socialism by claiming that the Democrat tent is big enough for everyone.

Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Holds Rally In Detroit With Sen. Bernie Sanders And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Menu

Virginia Kruta