Three Charged in Death of Former One Direction Singer Liam Payne in Buenos Aires
Three people have been charged in connection with the death of Liam Payne, a former member of the popular boy band One Direction, who died last month after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, The Associated Press reports.
The charges were announced Thursday by Argentine prosecutor Andrés Madrea.
The suspects, whose identities have not been disclosed, are facing charges of “abandonment of a person followed by death” and “supplying and facilitating the use of narcotics.” Madrea has also requested their arrest, and judge Laura Bruniard has ruled that the three cannot leave the country.
Payne, 31, fell from the third-floor balcony of his hotel room in the upscale Palermo neighborhood on October 16. An autopsy revealed that he died from multiple injuries and external bleeding. Toxicological tests on Payne’s body showed traces of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescribed antidepressant, according to prosecutors.
Initial investigations suggested Payne was alone when he fell, but prosecutors now allege that one of the charged individuals was frequently with the singer during his time in Buenos Aires. The second suspect is a hotel staffer who allegedly provided Payne with cocaine during his stay between October 13 and 16, while the third is a suspected drug dealer.
The charges in Payne’s case bear similarities to those filed in the United States following the death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry last year. Perry’s personal assistant and a close friend are facing charges for allegedly supplying him with ketamine in the months leading up to his overdose. Similar charges were filed in the 2018 opioid-overdose death of rapper Mac Miller.
Local authorities have gathered evidence including Payne’s cell phone records, forensic materials, and witness testimonies. They are currently working to unlock the singer’s damaged personal computer and other seized devices.
The autopsy concluded that Payne’s injuries were not caused by self-harm or physical intervention by others. The report also noted that he did not exhibit any reflex to protect himself during the fall, suggesting he might have been unconscious. Argentine prosecutors have ruled out suicide as a possible cause of death.
One Direction was one of the most successful boy bands of recent times. The group announced an indefinite hiatus in 2016, and Payne, along with former bandmates Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson, pursued solo careers.
Payne had posted on his Snapchat account that he traveled to Argentina to attend Horan’s concert in Buenos Aires on October 2. He shared videos of himself dancing with his girlfriend, American influencer Kate Cassidy, and singing along at the concert. Cassidy left Argentina after the show, but Payne remained.
