Former One Direction member Liam Payne died after falling from his hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires.
The 31-year-old musician, who rose to fame in the early 2010s as part of the boy band, was found dead with 25 injuries consistent with those caused by falling, including severe head injuries, with external and internal bleeding.
The prosecutors’ office found no evidence of there being a thirty party involved. However, they deemed the death ‘suspicious’, stating that it’s highly likely that the singer was taking drugs and alcohol.
In a statement, the local police said they were called to the scene by hotel staff after confronting an ‘aggressive man who seemed to be under the effects of alcohol and drugs.’
Upon arriving at the hotel room, city police found substances inside the room that appeared to be narcotics. Many alcohol beverages were also scattered across the room, in front of destroyed furniture and objects, in addition to several packs of benzodiazepine.
The prosecutors’ office said evidence suggests that Payne was alone in the hotel room when he plunged from the balcony. The fact that he had no defensive wounds on his hands also suggests he may have been unconscious when he fell.
A cellphone, lighter, and whiskey bottle, were also recovered from the courtyard, where the musician’s body was found.
Hotel Staff Called the Police
A hotel manager called 911 after Payne allegedly became ‘overwhelmed with alcohol and drugs.’ In the call, he could be heard telling dispatchers that ‘[Payne] was destroying the entire room’ and that they needed someone to come.
The manager grew increasingly anxious as the call continued, as he knew the room had a balcony. He was worried that he would put his own life at risk.
Payne Had Traveled For His Former Bandmate’s Concert
In the weeks prior to his death, Payne had traveled to Argentina with his girlfriend to attend his former One Direction bandmate, Niall Horan’s concert.
On Oct. 2, Payne was filmed waving to fans in Buenos Aires.
His girlfriend, influencer Kate Cassidy, had gone home before him, according to a TikTok video that she posted on Oct. 14.
Payne, who initially rose to fame on The X Factor in 2010, shared a son with his ex-girlfriend, Cheryl, who was a member of Girls Aloud.
From 2020 to early 2022, the musician was engaged to Maya Henry.
Everyone Is ‘Heartbroken’
Payne’s family described the musician as a ‘funny and kind soul’ and said they were ‘heartbroken’ by the news.
The singer’s former bandmates also said in a statement that they are ‘completely devastated’ by his death. They added that they ‘were supporting each other during this awful time and that it will take time for them to process and grieve the loss of [their] brother’.
Following his death, several people paid tributes to the musician, including singers Charlie Puth, Rita Ora, as well as Wanted star Max George, and X Factor Host Dermot O’Learly.
His former bandmates also paid tribute on their social media accounts, sharing photos and memories of Payne.
