Authorities in Argentina have provided detailed insight into the events leading up to Liam Payne’s tragic death on 16 October. The former One Direction member, aged 31, suffered a fatal fall from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, an incident now being thoroughly investigated. Court documents reveal Payne’s final hours, shedding light on his struggles and the involvement of others during his stay.
Payne’s cause of death was determined to be multiple trauma and internal and external haemorrhaging. Toxicology reports showed alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his system. Officials have charged three individuals in connection to his death: one with abandonment of a person followed by death, and two others with supplying narcotics.
Court documents and witness statements reconstruct Payne’s last hours, revealing a spiralling descent into substance use. At 7 a.m. on the day of his death, Payne texted a friend: “Dude, I think I’m going to f–k a hooker.” Two hours later, he messaged the same friend again, writing, “Can you get 6 grams?” The friend later arrived at the hotel to have breakfast with Payne, where the singer consumed whiskey.
By 11:30 a.m., two sex workers visited Payne’s hotel room. According to their testimony, Payne asked if they had cocaine, as he had run out. When they requested payment, Payne reportedly became angry.
At 2 p.m., Payne texted a hotel employee, saying, “I’m gonna need another 7 grams for today.” Witnesses reported that by 4 p.m., he appeared visibly intoxicated, with dilated pupils and erratic behaviour.
Shortly before his fall, a hotel staff member called emergency services, stating: “We have a guest who is overindulged in drugs and alcohol. He is breaking the whole room… We need someone to be sent urgently… The guest is in a room that has a balcony, and we are a little afraid that he might do something life-threatening.”
Payne fell from the balcony at 5:07 p.m. and was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy confirmed that Payne’s cause of death was “multiple trauma” and “internal and external haemorrhaging.” He suffered fatal injuries to his head, chest, and abdomen, with 25 wounds consistent with a fall from a significant height. Forensic experts noted the absence of defensive injuries, indicating that Payne did not attempt to protect himself during the fall.
Toxicology reports revealed Payne had alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his system at the time of his death. These substances likely contributed to a state of impaired consciousness, which prosecutors believe played a key role in the fatal incident.
“The victim did not adopt a reflex posture to protect himself from the fall,” prosecutors said in a press release. “This situation rules out the possibility of a conscious or voluntary act on the part of the victim. In the state he was in, he did not know what he was doing nor could he understand it.”
Three individuals have been charged in connection with Payne’s death. These include:A person who accompanied Payne during his stay in Buenos Aires, charged with abandonment of a person followed by death.
A hotel employee, charged with two counts of supplying cocaine to Payne.
A drug supplier, also charged with two counts of providing narcotics.
Prosecutors described the investigation as “exhaustive,” involving over 800 hours of security footage, testimony from dozens of witnesses, and analysis of Payne’s electronic devices, including his phone and a broken netbook.
Payne’s battle with addiction had been publicly documented. In July 2023, he shared that he had been sober for six months following a 100-day stint in rehab. However, his relapse during the trip to Argentina underscores the difficulties he faced in maintaining sobriety.
Payne was vacationing with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, who returned to the US days before his death. In an emotional Instagram post following the tragedy, Cassidy wrote: “Liam, my angel. You are everything. I want you to know I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life.”
Payne’s body was repatriated to the UK, and a funeral service was held on 20 November, attended by his One Direction bandmates. The singer, who rose to fame as part of the globally successful boy band and later launched a solo career, leaves behind a legacy cherished by millions of fans.
