By Nakiwala Barbra
Three people have been charged in connection with the death of former One Direction member Liam Payne, Argentinian authorities have confirmed. Payne, 31, died on October 16 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires.
According to Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office, one individual who had been accompanying Payne faces charges of “abandonment of a person followed by death.” A hotel employee and a third person have been charged with supplying drugs. Authorities have not disclosed the names of those involved.
The prosecutor’s office reported that Payne’s final days at the hotel are under close investigation. Hotel staff had reportedly called emergency services twice, citing a guest who had taken “too many drugs and alcohol” and was “trashing the entire room.” Following Payne’s death, police discovered drugs, broken furniture, and damaged items in his room.
Toxicology tests revealed alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in Payne’s system. The post-mortem report listed his cause of death as “multiple trauma” and “internal and external hemorrhage” due to the fall. Authorities suggest Payne may have fallen while in a state of semi or total unconsciousness, ruling out a voluntary act.
The prosecutor’s office has conducted nine raids in Buenos Aires, seized electronic devices, and reviewed over 800 hours of security footage from the hotel and nearby areas. They have also collected statements from hotel staff, family, friends, and medical personnel.
Payne’s body was released to his family on Wednesday to be flown back to the UK. In the wake of his tragic death, tributes poured in from his former partner Cheryl, One Direction bandmates, and music mogul Simon Cowell. Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Harry Styles released a joint statement expressing their devastation and vowing to cherish the memories they shared with him. Thousands of fans worldwide held memorial events to honor Payne’s life and legacy.
