Wladimir Klitschko has sought a court order to investigate the alleged pawnshop sale of his ex-fiancée Hayden Panettiere's jewelry and other personal items after her death. The former boxer claims that a person outside the family who was previously associated with the actress sold some of her property.
According to court documents cited by TMZ, the pawnshop has refused to provide information about the specific items unless it is approached by law enforcement. Klitschko fears that they could be sold to third parties before they are identified and returned to the estate.
“Some personal items, including jewelry, have disappeared or remain unaccounted for“, the documents state.
Klitschko filed the petition in connection with his separate request to be appointed temporary guardian of the estate of his 11-year-old daughter Kaia. He claims that the child has rights to all of Panettiere's assets and that his appointment is “urgent and necessary” so that he can receive, manage and hold the assets on her behalf.
In the documents, Klitschko also claims that federal agents entered Hayden Panettiere's Los Angeles home and removed items belonging to her estate. According to his statement, before the actress's death, the two hired a security company due to a documented concern that someone had gained unauthorized access to the property.
After the actress's death, the locks on the home were changed, and storage rooms containing designer clothes and accessories worn by the actress to public events were moved as a precaution. Klitschko has not publicly named a specific person as the perpetrator, but presents his allegations in court as grounds for an investigation.
A source close to Hayden's family told TMZ that they support his actions. "Vlad is a great father and we are grateful to him," they said.
A dispute over the jewelry also arose between the actress's parents. According to the medical examiner's report obtained by Page Six, Panetier was wearing small earrings when she died. They were removed during the autopsy and placed in a storage cabinet, but her parents requested that they be sent to different addresses – one in North Carolina, the other in California. Until they reach an agreement on the personal effects, the earrings were not released.
Hayden Panettiere died on August 16 at the age of 36 while at her residence in Greenville, South Carolina. The cause of death was determined to be the toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine, and the manner of death was determined to be accidental.
Klitschko and Panettiere have a daughter, Kaia, who lives with her father in Ukraine. The court has not yet ruled on his request for a temporary guardianship role and the authority to request an investigation into the missing property.