Liam Payne's death: Three people arrested, including his close friend
Three people are facing preliminary charges in Argentina in connection with the tragic death of British pop star and former One Direction member, Liam Payne. A hotel employee, a suspected drug dealer, and a close friend of Payne's are being investigated—the public prosecutor's office announced on Thursday. The charges include "abandonment of a person before a death, supply, and facilitation of narcotics," Argentina's National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office said.
Payne's death and post-mortem findings
Payne (31) died on October 16 after falling off the third floor of a Buenos Aires hotel. The late singer reportedly had alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his system before his death, the prosecutor's statement said. A toxicology analysis suggested Payne "may have fallen into a state of semi or total unconsciousness." Medical examinations confirmed his injuries were "compatible with those caused by falling from a height" and ruled out self-inflicted injuries or intervention by others.
Suspects' identities and roles in Payne's death
The first person being probed is Rogelio 'Roger' Nores—a close friend of Payne who spent time with him "on a daily basis" in Buenos Aires. He is being probed for "abandonment of a person before a death and the supply and facilitation of narcotics." The second suspect is a hotel employee who reportedly supplied cocaine to the singer twice. The third person—a suspected "narcotics supplier"—is believed to have given drugs to Payne on October 14.
Payne's drug use and mental health struggles
Authorities believe Payne procured drugs from "others" at least four times during his hotel stay from October 13-16. Investigators had interviewed two female escorts who were with Payne in the hours leading to his death. The women said they didn't see Payne do drugs in front of them but he did consume alcohol. He had spoken openly about his substance abuse and mental health struggles—marking six months of sobriety after completing treatment in a facility in the summer of 2023.
Payne's body returned to family, legal proceedings initiated
Meanwhile, Payne's body was handed over last week to his father Geoff Payne. Argentina follows a two-phase legal process where the preliminary charges are part of an investigatory phase. Subsequently, a judge may choose to discard or modify these preliminary charges or apply formal charges equivalent to those in the US legal system. The investigations into the three were launched after reviewing evidence including over 800 hours of video footage.
