Liam Payne death: Hotel raided amid drug supply allegations
The CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, where former One Direction member Liam Payne tragically died on October 16, was raided by local police on Wednesday. The raid was carried out to collect "elements of interest for the investigation" into the singer's death, a police source revealed to Argentinian newspaper LA NACION. These elements reportedly included "documents and videos" from the hotel's lobby and courtyard as well as information from the hotel's registration books.
Investigation focused on hotel staff and drug supply
The primary goal of the raid was to find the hotel staffers on duty in the days leading to Payne's death. This scrutiny forms a part of the ongoing investigation into allegations that a hotel employee may have provided drugs to Payne. The authorities' interest in this angle was piqued by multiple drugs found in Payne's system at the time of death, leading them to suspect these substances were provided by hotel employees.
Payne's final moments and hotel staff's alleged involvement
In the days before his death, Payne was said to have been acting erratically, smashing his laptop in the hotel lobby. This behavior led a hotel manager to call emergency services to report a disruptive individual who was "high on drugs and alcohol." Soon after, Payne was found dead in the courtyard of the hotel. An initial autopsy indicated he may have fallen from his balcony while in a "semi-conscious or unconscious" state.
Payne's room revealed drug use and destruction
During the first raid of Payne's room, authorities discovered drug paraphernalia, alcohol, and prescription pills in the wreckage. Photos from the scene show a room strewn with broken shards and parts of a destroyed television. A toxicology report later revealed that Payne had crack, cocaine, and benzodiazepine in his system at the time of his death. They also found traces of "pink cocaine," a recreational drug that typically mixes methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA among others.
Authorities interrogated 5 individuals linked to Payne
Reportedly, authorities are questioning five people who were with Payne a few hours before his death. However, it has been confirmed that he was alone in his room when he died. The singer's father, Geoff Payne, is in Argentina helping authorities with their investigation. He will remain under "dynamic police custody until the end of judicial proceedings," owing to the emotional turmoil of his son's death, the Argentine Prosecutor's Office said.
