Argentine authorities have charged three individuals in connection with former One Direction singer Liam Payne‘s death at a Buenos Aires hotel. The local prosecutor’s office confirmed charges against a hotel employee, an alleged drug supplier, and an acquaintance of the singer related to narcotics distribution before his fatal fall at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel, per Rolling Stone.
“Police detained two hotel workers accused of supplying the drugs and raided the home of a friend, also detained,” ABC World News Tonight reported from authorities on Nov. 6. The primary suspect, described as someone who spent time with Payne “on a daily basis” during his Argentina stay, faces accusations of “abandonment of a person followed by death, and the supply and facilitation of narcotics,” potentially resulting in a 5-to-15-year prison sentence.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Local media outlet La Naciรณn identifies this individual as a businessman who falsely presented himself as Payne’s manager and allegedly failed to alert the singer’s family about his drug use. According to La Naciรณn via Rolling Stone, investigators attempted to contact the friend on the day of Payne’s death, but he didn’t appear, only communicating with police through an attorney the following day.
A hotel worker stands accused of providing cocaine to Payne on two occasions during his stay, while a third individual faces charges for allegedly supplying narcotics on Oct. 14. Investigators examined approximately 800 hours of footage and conducted numerous interviews before filing charges, reported the outlet.
The investigation has expanded to include eight raids related to the three defendants, plus a ninth location belonging to one of two women reportedly in Payne’s company hours before his death. Authorities seized nine mobile phones, three computers, two hard drives, and marijuana, according to Variety.
Preliminary toxicology reports from the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office revealed the presence of “pink cocaine” in Payne’s system, a recreational substance typically containing MDMA, ketamine, and methamphetamine. The 31-year-old artist died on Oct. 16 after falling from the hotel’s third floor.
Public prosecutor Andrรฉs Madrea confirmed to the BBC that Payne’s remains were released to his family on Nov. 6 following additional toxicology and laboratory testing. The body has been transported to Britain via British Airways for funeral services.
An autopsy report indicated that Payne succumbed to “multiple traumas, internal and external bleeding, and a cranial injury” resulting from the fall. The luxury hotel underwent its initial police raid two weeks ago, with investigators collecting hard drives and surveillance footage.
Payne is survived by his seven-year-old son, Bear, whom he shared with former partner Cheryl Cole. His family released a statement saying, “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts, and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny, and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
