Five individuals have been charged in connection with the death of former One Direction star Liam Payne, including one of the British singer’s closest friends, Rogelio “Roger” Nores.
Payne, 31, died on 16 October after falling from the third-floor balcony of the CasaSur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires. His death, which left fans and the music world in shock, has led to wide-ranging investigations and criminal charges.
Charges and investigation
Roger Nores, who claims he left Payne at the hotel 40 minutes before the fall, has been charged with negligent homicide but denies abandoning his friend. Nores is reportedly banned from leaving Argentina while investigations continue.
Braian Paiz, a waiter who admitted using drugs, including cocaine, with Payne, and Ezequiel Pereyra, a former hotel employee, have been charged with supplying narcotics for payment. Hotel managers Gilda Martín and Esteban Grassi face manslaughter charges for alleged negligence.
Infobae reports that only Paiz and Pereyra have been remanded in custody, while all five have been summoned to appear in court.
The case includes serious allegations about Payne’s final hours:
Pereyra is suspected of delivering drugs to Payne in a Dove soap box, while Paiz admitted to consuming marijuana and being present when Payne allegedly snorted cocaine.
Martín and Grassi are accused of failing to safeguard Payne, despite his apparent intoxicated state, and for instructing staff to carry him back to his room shortly before the fatal fall. Grassi allegedly received emergency calls reporting Payne’s erratic behaviour and requests for alcohol and drugs.
The investigation has also unearthed troubling details about Payne’s struggles with mental health. Reports suggest a psychiatrist had warned Nores about the dangers of mixing antidepressants with alcohol, which toxicology tests confirmed in Payne’s system alongside cocaine.
Text messages allegedly sent by Payne showed he offered $5,000 to an escort to “party,” raising further concerns about his state of mind.
Nores has strongly refuted claims of negligence. Speaking to TMZ, he described Payne as being in “good spirits” on the day of his death. In a statement, he said:
“I never abandoned Liam. I went to his hotel three times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened. There were over 15 people in the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left. I could have never imagined something like this would happen.”
If convicted, those charged with manslaughter face one to five years in prison, while drug supply charges carry a sentence of up to 15 years.
Payne, who rose to fame with One Direction in the 2010s, had a young son, Bear, with his former partner Cheryl Cole. His funeral was held in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, last month, attended by his former bandmates and loved ones.
The case has sparked discussions about mental health support and the responsibility of those around public figures in distress. As investigations continue, the world waits for answers about the tragic loss of one of pop’s brightest stars.