In relation to the untimely passing of One Direction icon Liam Payne in Argentina, authorities have filed charges against three individuals, as announced by the public prosecutor’s office in the nation.
The 31-year-old music sensation tragically died after falling from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires on October 16.
Prosecutors have commanded the apprehension of the trio, with one facing charges of “abandonment of a person leading to death” alongside accusations of drug distribution. The other two individuals were charged solely with drug distribution.
The first suspect “was accompanying the artist daily” during his time in Argentina, according to a disclosure from prosecutor Andres Esteban Madrea’s office.
The second suspect was an employee of the hotel, whereas the third individual is alleged to have provided narcotics.
The statement elaborated: “Liam Payne was not fully alert or was in a state of significant diminished or lost consciousness at the moment of his fall”.
The prosecutor’s office stated that it had gathered multiple testimonies, scrutinized over 800 hours of footage from surveillance cameras and public areas, and performed a “forensic extraction” of data from Payne’s mobile device.
The findings indicated “at least four instances of narcotic distribution”.
The post-mortem results determined that Payne sustained “numerous” injuries, along with both internal and external bleeding.
Investigators in Argentina discovered substances that resembled narcotics and alcohol scattered among shattered items and furnishings within Payne’s hotel accommodation, leading the public prosecution to infer that he endured a substance abuse-related breakdown prior to his fall.
Additionally, nine searches were conducted at various locations across Buenos Aires.
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Prosecutors dismiss ‘self-harm’ theory
The results from toxicology tests indicated that prior to his death, Payne had alcohol, cocaine, and a prescribed antidepressant in his system.
Prosecutors have stated there is no evidence suggesting any external factors contributed to his death, and they also dismissed any notion of “self-harm,” as outlined in a forensic report.
The communication asserted that Payne “did not exhibit a reflexive posture to shield himself from the fall,” implying that he potentially fell “in a state of semi or complete unconsciousness”.
This, in turn, would “eliminate the possibility of a conscious or intentional act,” as “in his condition, he was oblivious to his actions and unable to comprehend them”.
The investigation is ongoing, with further analysis of some of Payne’s devices still in progress, as noted in the statement.
Release of upcoming song deferred
This news coincides with the delay of the release date of new music featuring vocals from Liam Payne which has now been postponed.
American singer-songwriter Sam Pounds, who worked with Payne on the track Do No Wrong, had initially announced it would be released on November 1, but later clarified that its launch has been postponed as “it’s not the appropriate time yet”.
Previously, in the month before his death, Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy, who he had been with for two years, disclosed that the pair had intended to marry in the coming year. The 25-year-old had been in Argentina with Payne until just two days before his tragic passing.
