Three Charged In Connection With Liam Payne’s Death In Buenos Aires.
Argentinian authorities have charged three individuals in connection with the tragic death of Liam Payne, former One Direction star, who passed away after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires on 16 October. Payne, 31, rose to international fame as part of the boyband One Direction and was widely recognised in the music world.
According to Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office, one person who was with Payne at the time has been charged with abandonment of a person leading to death, as well as the supply and facilitation of drugs. Additionally, a hotel employee and a third individual face charges related to drug supply. Authorities have not disclosed the identities of those arrested.
The investigation into Payne’s final days at the CasaSur Hotel has revealed troubling details. Emergency services were twice called by hotel staff, who reported a guest who had “taken too many drugs and alcohol” and was “trashing the entire room.” In the aftermath of Payne’s fall, police discovered substances and damaged property in his hotel room.
Toxicology reports indicated traces of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in Payne’s system. The post-mortem examination determined the cause of death as “multiple trauma” and “internal and external haemorrhage” resulting from the fall. Medical reports suggested Payne was likely in a state of partial or complete unconsciousness, ruling out a voluntary act.
Authorities have conducted nine raids in Buenos Aires as part of the investigation and have seized Payne’s broken laptop and other electronic devices. The prosecutor’s office has also reviewed over 800 hours of video footage from hotel and public security cameras and interviewed numerous witnesses, including hotel staff, friends, family members, and medical professionals.
Payne’s body was released to his family on Wednesday and returned to the UK. Tributes poured in following his passing, with Payne’s former partner Cheryl, his bandmates Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Harry Styles, and music mogul Simon Cowell among those expressing their grief. In a joint statement, his former bandmates said they were “completely devastated” and that they would “treasure the memories we shared with him forever.” Thousands of fans around the world have also honoured Payne’s memory at various memorial events.
