Authorities in Argentina have announced that three people have been charged in relation to the passing of Liam Payne, a former member of One Direction. After falling from his hotel’s third-floor balcony in Buenos Aires, the 31-year-old musician died on October 16.
The National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office said one of the people charged is an individual who was with Payne and has been accused of providing and enabling drugs, as well as leaving him after his fall. Charges of drug supply have also been brought against a hotel employee and another individual, whose identities have not been made public.
After competing on The X Factor, Payne, a well-known pop star and father of one, became well-known with One Direction in the 2010s. His last days at the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires have subsequently become the subject of an investigation by authorities.
Substances, shattered items, and damaged furniture were discovered in Payne’s hotel room after his accident, according to reports. A guest had “taken too many drugs and alcohol” and was “trashing the entire room,” according to two calls to emergency services made by hotel workers.
A toxicology study from the public prosecutor’s office found that Payne had a prescription antidepressant, cocaine, and alcohol in his system at the time of his death. Following a post-mortem examination, the cause of death was later identified as “multiple trauma” and “internal and external hemorrhage” caused by the fall.
Payne may have been partially or completely asleep throughout the fall, according to medical results, which rules out the notion that he was acting deliberately or with full awareness. The prosecutor’s office came to the conclusion that Payne was unaware of what he was doing before he fell and died.
In order to obtain more evidence, investigators conducted nine raids in Buenos Aires as part of their investigation after Payne’s death. In addition, they seized other electronic gadgets including a malfunctioning laptop from Payne’s hotel room.
In addition to gathering testimony from a variety of witnesses, including hotel employees, friends, family, and medical professionals, the investigating team has examined more than 800 hours of footage from public and hotel security cameras.
Payne’s body was repatriated to his family in the UK once the formalities were finished. His loss has led to a flood of tributes from loved ones, coworkers, and admirers.
In a joint statement, Payne’s former bandmates Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Harry Styles expressed their sorrow, stating that they were “utterly devastated” and would “miss the singer terribly,” valuing the times they had with him.
Following the devastating news, thousands of fans worldwide have come together to commemorate Payne’s legacy by hosting memorial events that honor his influence on pop music and his admirers.
