Liam Payne's death: Friend, waiter, 3 others charged in Argentina
What's the story
In a shocking development in the tragic demise of former One Direction member Liam Payne, five people have been charged in connection with his death.
The charges were filed by an Argentine judge and include Payne's friend Roger Nores, who is facing accusations of negligent homicide.
Nores had reportedly left Payne at the CasaSur Palermo hotel just an hour before the singer fell to his death from a balcony.
Charges detailed
Hotel staff and managers were also implicated in Payne's death
Along with Nores, Braian Paiz, a waiter at the hotel who confessed to doing drugs with Payne, has been charged with supplying narcotics.
The crime is punishable by up to 15 years in prison in Argentina.
Meanwhile, two hotel managers—head of security Gilda Martin and the hotel's chief receptionist Esteban Grassi—and another employee, Ezequiel Pereyra, are also facing charges.
Pereyra allegedly provided drugs to Payne while Martin and Grassi have been charged with manslaughter.
Investigation findings
Payne's death scene revealed evidence of narcotics and alcohol
Payne died on a trip to Buenos Aires, where he was staying at the CasaSur Palermo hotel with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy. She had left the hotel days before the fatal incident.
Investigators at the scene found what appeared to be narcotics and alcohol, along with signs of chaos including broken furniture and destroyed objects in the room.
"City police who surveyed the scene found substances inside that would be narcotics and alcoholic beverages," prosecutors said in a statement.
Staff involvement
Hotel staff's actions before Payne's death under scrutiny
Further details reveal that Paiz, the waiter, has been charged with supplying narcotics to Payne for payment. He confessed to using drugs, including cocaine, with the singer but denied having directly given him drugs.
Pereyra is also facing drug-related charges after allegedly delivering cocaine to Payne in a Dove soap box.
As mentioned, Martin and Grassi are facing manslaughter charges. All five have been summoned to court in Argentina.
Death clarification
Authorities emphasized Payne's death was not a suicide
Authorities have stressed that Payne's death wasn't a suicide. Tests revealed he had alcohol, cocaine, and traces of an antidepressant in his system when he fell.
The singer's state was described as "semi or total unconsciousness," which prosecutors believe explains why he fell off the balcony.
The investigation continues with hotel employees and alleged drug dealers facing potential manslaughter charges as the case unfolds.