Three people have been charged in connection with the death of One Direction star, Liam Payne in Argentina, the public prosecutor’s office in the country has said.
The 31-year-old pop star died after he fell from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires on October 16.
The prosecutor ordered the arrest of the three and charged one with “abandonment of a person followed by death” and supplying drugs.
The suspect “accompanied the artist on a daily basis” during his stay in the Argentinian capital, according to a statement from the office of prosecutor Andres Esteban Madrea.
A hotel employee and a third person were charged with supplying drugs.
The prosecutor’s office also said there was nothing to indicate any third-party involvement in his death and ruled out “self-harm”.
The statement said Payne did not adopt a reflex posture to protect himself from the fall, meaning it can be inferred he may have fallen “in a state of semi or total unconsciousness”.
“Liam Payne was not fully conscious or was experiencing a state of noticeable decrease or loss of consciousness at the time of the fall. That would rule out the possibility of a conscious or voluntary act in the state he was in, he did not know what he was doing nor could he understand it.”
Statement
The results of toxicology tests revealed in the moments before his death Payne had traces of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his body, it added.
The investigation continues, the statement said, with some of Payne’s devices still being analyzed.
It said the prosecutor’s office had received several dozen testimonies, analyzed more than 800 hours of video from security cameras and public roads, and conducted a “forensic extraction” of the contents of Payne’s phone.
It said the investigation revealed “at least four supplies of narcotics”.
According to the post-mortem examination, Payne died from “multiple” injuries and internal and external bleeding.
Argentine investigators found what appeared to be narcotics and alcohol strewn around broken objects and furniture in Payne’s hotel room, leading the public prosecution to surmise he had suffered a substance abuse-induced breakdown around the time of his fall.
Nine raids were also ordered on properties in Buenos Aires.
It comes after new music featuring vocals by Liam Payne had its release date postponed.
US singer and songwriter Sam Pounds, who collaborated with Payne on ‘Do No Wrong’, previously said the track would be out on November 1, but has since said its release had been postponed because “it’s not the time yet”.
Last month Payne’s girlfriend of two years, Kate Cassidy, revealed the couple had planned on getting married next year. The 25-year-old had been in Argentina with Payne until two days before his death.
Liam Payne’s ‘Close Friend’ Denies Involvement After Charges
Liam Payne’s friend, Rogelio Nores denied abandoning the late pop star before his death.
Nores, known as Roger, has spoken out in an emotional statement and denied being a suspect.
Three suspects have been arrested and are under formal investigation over Payne’s death, with one of them being an unnamed “friend”.
Nores had been with the singer in the days before he died, but he has rubbished suggestions he is the individual charged with “abandoning a person followed by death”.
The person in question has also been charged with being complicit in the supply of drugs.
“I never abandoned Liam, I went to his hotel 3 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.”
Rogelio Nores
He added that he gave a statement to the prosecutor on October 17 as a witness, but hasn’t spoken to authorities “ever since”.
“I wasn’t Liam’s manager, he was just my very dear friend, and please refer to the email I sent to Liam and his team on August 23. I’m really heartbroken with this tragedy, and I’ve been missing my friend every day.”
Rogelio Nores
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