Liam Payne was trying to escape hotel room before death
Newly released security footage from CasaSur Palermo, the Buenos Aires hotel where Liam Payne died on October 16, indicates that the singer was trying to escape his room through the balcony before his fatal fall. The video shows three men carrying an unconscious Payne through the lobby toward his room. This evidence corroborates speculation that he was trying to leave the building when he fell from his third-story balcony.
Payne was locked in the hotel room
TMZ reported that surveillance footage from the hotel captured Payne, visibly intoxicated and acting disruptively, being carried to his room by three hotel employees after being found in the lobby. Although conscious, he resisted entering the room. Once inside, staff used a master key to lock the door and even removed a mirror outside his room to prevent damage, as noted in a police report. Tragically, just minutes later, Payne fell to his death.
Items found near Payne's body suggest an escape attempt
The police report further revealed that a black New York Yankees hat and a Louis Vuitton bag were found next to Payne's body after his death. These items weren't visible in the earlier security footage, indicating that he had picked them up after returning to his room. A hotel employee also found a brown leather bag on the balcony directly below Payne's room containing various pills and a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey.
Payne's history of using balconies to escape
A source told the portal that Payne had a history of using balconies as an escape route, as he hated being confined in hotel rooms during his One Direction days. In mid-September, he reportedly escaped from a locked Florida rental by climbing down the balcony with a hose. This lends further credence to the theory that he was attempting a similar escape on the night of his death.
Hotel staff's concern and charges in Payne's death
The timestamps of the security footage show that the events leading up to Payne's fall happened just minutes before his death. A man identifying himself as a manager had called Argentina's medical emergency services, fearing for Payne's safety as he was being destructive. But by the time help arrived, it was too late. After his death, three men were charged for their alleged involvement in the incident.
Payne's cause of death and funeral details
Payne's official cause of death was ruled a cranial fracture, along with internal and external bleeding. A toxicology report showed multiple drugs in his system, including cocaine, crack, and pink cocaine. His body was laid to rest in England recently, with close friends and family members, including former One Direction bandmates Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, and Niall Horan, attending the service.
