Hayden Panettiere’s Ex Granted Temporary Control Over Daughter’s Inheritance After Her Death

A Los Angeles judge has granted Hayden Panettiere’s former fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, temporary legal authority over their 11-year-old daughter’s inheritance amid allegations that valuables belonging to the late actress have gone missing, including an engagement ring reportedly worth $500,000.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephanie C. Santoro signed an order on October 13, 2026, authorizing the former heavyweight boxing champion to initiate probate proceedings, nominate an administrator for Panettiere’s estate, handle her outstanding tax filings and request a law enforcement investigation into potentially misappropriated property. Their daughter, Kaya, is the actress’s sole heir.

The order followed an October 8 hearing at which Santoro granted Klitschko temporary guardianship of Kaya’s estate after his attorneys warned that Panettiere’s belongings were at risk of disappearing before an administrator could secure them.

During the hearing, Klitschko’s attorney, Diane Park, told the judge that someone outside Panettiere’s family was suspected of taking her possessions and attempting to sell jewelry to a Los Angeles County pawnshop. Court filings also identified the actress’s engagement ring, valued at approximately $500,000, among the missing valuables.

Santoro questioned why the matter required immediate intervention. Park explained that representatives needed legal authority to work with law enforcement and the pawnshop to recover the property. Panettiere also had outstanding tax obligations requiring attention, she told the court.

Klitschko and Kaya appeared remotely from Ukraine, where the former boxer has raised their daughter since assuming full custody in 2018. Kaya briefly appeared on camera to identify herself and confirm that Klitschko was her father before the judge approved the appointment.

Klitschko first sought court intervention in a September 24 petition alleging that unauthorized individuals had accessed Panettiere’s Los Angeles residence and that certain valuables had disappeared or remained unaccounted for. His attorneys also raised concerns about emails allegedly accessed and deleted by outsiders.

The petition cited belongings seized by federal investigators examining the circumstances of Panettiere’s death, raising questions about who would have the authority to recover the property once investigators released it.

A supplemental filing raised further concerns that someone previously connected to Panettiere had sold or attempted to sell some of her possessions to a pawnshop. The allegations have yet to be established in court, and the identity of the individual has not been publicly confirmed in the proceedings.

As temporary guardian of Kaya’s estate, Klitschko can act to preserve his daughter’s financial interests under court supervision. A separate probate process will determine who administers Panettiere’s estate, gathers her assets, settles outstanding obligations and oversees their eventual distribution.

Panettiere reportedly died without a will, leaving Kaya as the sole beneficiary of property that may include real estate, personal belongings and continuing income from her entertainment career. The estate’s total value remains undetermined.

Her mother, Lesley Vogel, submitted a statement consenting to Klitschko’s appointment. Panettiere and the former boxing champion became engaged in 2013 before separating in 2018, when Klitschko assumed full custody of Kaya.

Panettiere, known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, died on August 16, 2026, at age 36 after being found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office ruled her death an accidental overdose involving several substances, including fentanyl. Federal authorities have also investigated the circumstances surrounding her death.

A further hearing concerning Kaya’s estate is scheduled for December 7, 2026, when Klitschko’s temporary guardianship is set to expire.