More questions are being answered in the investigation into Liam Payne’s death.
Details of the One Direction member’s toxicology report were released more than four months after he died after falling from his hotel balcony in Argentina. According to a press release issued on February 25 by the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office, Payne had a blood alcohol level (BAC) of.27% at the time of his death.
For reference, the “Strip That Down” singer’s blood alcohol concentration was more than three times the legal driving limit in the United States, which is.08 percent.
According to Stanford University’s Vaden Health Services, a blood alcohol level that high would be classified as “severe intoxication,” and people under such an influence may require assistance walking, experience mental confusion, and have nausea or vomiting.
However, when Payne died on October 16 at the age of 31, he had more than just alcohol in his system.
Three months before the details of Payne’s toxicology report were released, an initial test revealed that alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant were in his system when he died, though the exact amounts were not disclosed.
Officials also concluded that Liam was most likely unconscious at the time of his death, as there were no signs of self-defense.
Three months before the details of Payne’s toxicology report were released, an initial test revealed that alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant were in his system when he died, though the exact amounts were not disclosed.
Officials also concluded that Liam was most likely unconscious at the time of his death, as there were no signs of self-defense.
“This situation would also rule out the possibility of a conscious or voluntary act on the part of the victim,” Argentina’s public prosecutor said in a Nov. 7 statement, via Spanish translation, “since, in the state he was in, he did not know what he was doing nor could he understand it.”
Authorities confirmed that the 25 injuries he sustained were consistent with a fall from the balcony’s height, after reviewing all of the information gathered during the investigation.
“The head injuries were sufficient to cause death,” said the prosecutor’s statement, “while the internal and external hemorrhages in the skull, thorax, abdomen and limbs contributed to the mechanism of death.”
Continue reading to learn more about Payne’s untimely death.
When did Liam Payne die?
Liam Payne died in Argentina on October 16, 2024, according to the Sistema de Atención Médica de Emergencias. He was 31 years old.
How did Liam Payne die?
The singer died after falling “from the balcony of the third-floor room of the hotel in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo where he was staying,” according to an Oct. 17 release from the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No. 14 translated from Spanish to English.
An autopsy was conducted, according to the release, and Payne died as a result of “multiple trauma” and “internal and external hemorrhage” from the fall.
While the release stated that “as a matter of protocol, the circumstances of the case are being investigated as a ‘doubtful death,'” which means there was no conclusive information about the cause of death, according to NBC News, it also stated that “everything indicates the musician was alone when the fall occurred, and was going through some kind of outbreak due to substance abuse.”
Payne had previously spoken about his struggles with sobriety, stating in a July 2023 YouTube video that he had been in treatment for about 100 days and hadn’t had a drink in six months.
What else did Liam Payne’s autopsy say?
According to the release, coroners found 25 injuries during Payne’s autopsy that were “compatible with those caused by a fall from height.”
“They also pointed out that the head injuries were sufficient to cause death,” and the release went on, “while the internal and external hemorrhages in the skull, thorax, abdomen and limbs contributed to the mechanism of death.”
Furthermore, the release stated that forensic experts discovered “no defensive injuries” after examining the One Direction member and that “no injuries were observed that would suggest the intervention of third parties.”
Still, questions remained, including Payne’s state at the time of his fall.
“The prosecution said that, given the position in which the body was left and the injuries from the fall,” according to the press release, “it is presumed that Payne did not adopt a reflex posture to protect himself and that he could have fallen into a state of semi- or total unconsciousness.”
According to the release, medical examiners sought additional answers by requesting histopathological, biochemical, and toxicological studies.
“At this point,” according to the release dated Oct. 17, “the analysis of the stomach contents, alcohol and toxins in the blood, vitreous humor, bile, nasal swab and urine for the determination of alcohol and toxins was required.”
According to The New York Times, a preliminary toxicology report revealed that Payne had drugs in his system at the time of his death.
What kind of drugs did Liam Payne have in his system?Â
According to a press release issued by Argentina’s public prosecutor on November 7, toxicology testing revealed he had alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his system.
Did Liam Payne die by suicide?
Authorities do not believe he committed suicide, as Argentina’s public prosecutor stated in a press release on November 7 that he was unlikely to be fully conscious when he fell.
“This situation would also rule out the possibility of a conscious or voluntary act on the part of the victim,” stated a Spanish translation, “since, in the state he was in, he did not know what he was doing nor could he understand it.”
In a Dec. 30 press release, Judge Laura Bruniard of the National Criminal and Correctional Court No. 34 also stated that, given Payne’s condition, he may have attempted to leave his room from his balcony but fell.
What have authorities shared about the events prior to Liam Payne’s fall?
According to prosecutors’ reconstruction, Payne appears to have fallen from the balcony of his third-floor room at the CasaSur Palermo hotel at 5:07 p.m. local time on October 17. “Minutes earlier,” the release continued, the hotel called 911 “to ask for help for a guest who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol and had destroyed some objects in the room.”
“When SAME and officers from the 14B Neighborhood Police Station of the City Police arrived,” a press release stated, “Payne had already fallen from the balcony of his room and died on the spot due to the severity of his injuries.”
Regarding what authorities discovered while searching the room, the release stated that police discovered substances that appear to be narcotics and alcoholic beverages—though confirmation from experts was still required. The document also mentioned “several destroyed objects and furniture.”
Authorities also investigated who had been in the room prior to Payne’s fall, with the release stating that “five testimonial statements were taken from three hotel workers and two women who, in the hours prior, had been with the musician in his room, but had already left the hotel when the incident occurred.”
“The prosecution said that beyond reconstructing the circumstances of the musician’s death,” continued the press release, “the investigation is also aimed at determining the possible involvement of third parties in the events prior to the victim’s death.”
What was said on the 911 call placed before Liam Payne’s death?
Telemundo obtained audio of a 911 call from local media in Argentina, in which a hotel employee requests assistance from authorities.
“We have a guest who is overindulged in drugs and alcohol,” the caller said, according to NBC News’ translation. “Well, when he becomes conscious, he breaks. He is destroying the entire room. We need you to send someone.
The employee continued to express concern.
“We need someone to be sent to us urgently, because—well, I don’t know if he is at risk,” a person said. “The guest is in a room that has a balcony and we are a little afraid that he might do something life-threatening.”
The employee did not identify Payne during the call. NBC News reached out to Payne’s representative for comment but did not receive a response.
Have arrests been made in connection to Liam Payne’s death?
Argentina’s public prosecutor announced on November 7 that three people had been charged after “illicit conduct was discovered,” according to a press release translated from Spanish.
“The first of the accused is the person who accompanied the artist on a daily basis during his stay in the city of Buenos Aires, who is charged with the crimes of abandonment of a person followed by death,” according to the statement. “The second defendant is a hotel employee who must answer for two proven supplies of cocaine to Liam Payne during the period he was at the hotel, and the third, also a drug supplier, is accused of two other clearly proven supplies during two different times on October 14.”
However, it was later discovered that five people had been charged in the case. According to a press release issued by Argentina’s prosecutor’s office on December 30, the hotel’s manager (GAM), receptionist (ERG), and Payne’s “representative” (RLN) were all charged with negligent homicide, while a hotel employee (EDP) and a waiter (BNP) were charged with drug supply.
According to the BBC, the first three are Gilda Martin, Esteban Grassi, and Roger Nores, with the latter two being employee Ezequiel Pereyra and waiter Braian Paiz.
According to the Dec. 30 release, the judge chose a different criminal classification for RLN than the original abandonment charge.
Nores stated to the Daily Mail that he “never abandoned” Payne and was not his manager.
What else has the investigation included?
The prosecutor’s office stated in its November 7 release that “exhaustive and meticulous actions and measures were taken to clarify the circumstances” surrounding Payne’s death.
The release listed “several dozen testimonies” from hotel employees, family, friends, medical professionals, biochemists, and psychiatrists. In addition, the release stated that a “detailed analysis of more than 800 hours of video footage from various security cameras in the hotel and others on public roads” was carried out.
But that is not all. “The forensic extraction of the contents of the deceased musician’s cell phone was also carried out,” according to the statement. “From this, his calls, messages, chats on messaging applications and social networks were analyzed.”
In addition, the release said, “several gigabytes of data extracted from other cell phones were obtained and examined, such as that of the hotel reception and those of witnesses who voluntarily offered them to corroborate their statements.”
Other data analyzed, according to the release, included “a record of the guests and orders at the hotel bar/restaurant” to determine who visited Payne and what they ate and drank.
Additionally, the prosecutor’s office stated that “nine raids were requested at homes” in Buenos Aires.
However, as the release from Nov. 7 stated, “the investigation must continue, since, among other procedures, the unlocking of the victim’s personal netbook – which is broken – and other devices seized in the investigation are still in progress.”
What had Liam Payne shared prior to his death?
Payne had been vacationing in Argentina with girlfriend Kate Cassidy and had documented their trip before his death.
According to screenshots obtained by NBC News, photos and videos shared on the “Strip That Down” artist’s Snapchat account show the couple spending quality time together, eating breakfast, discussing his plans to ride horses, and having what he described as a “lovely day” in Argentina days before his fatal fall. The final photo posted to Payne’s Snapchat account on the day of his death was of him and Cassidy in their swimsuits.
Payne and Cassidy had announced on social media that she was returning to Florida to be with their dog Nala while he remained in Argentina.
“I was so ready to leave,” Cassidy said in an Oct. 14 TikTok video depicting her return to the United States. “Honestly, I enjoy South America, but I dislike staying in one place for too long. We were supposed to be there for five days, but it turned into two weeks, and I was like, ‘I need to go home.'”
Cassidy stated after Payne’s death that she was at a “complete loss” and that “nothing about the past few days have felt real.”
“Liam, my angel,” she wrote in part of an Instagram post from October 18. “You’re everything. I want you to know that I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will love you for the rest of my life. “I love you, Liam.”
What has One Direction said about Liam Payne’s death?
Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan, members of One Direction, expressed their grief following Payne’s death.
“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” the group wrote in a joint Instagram post Oct. 17. “When everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for the time being, we will grieve and process the loss of our beloved brother.”
One Direction was formed on The X Factor in 2010 and achieved enormous success before the band members split up in 2015.
“The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever,” Styles, Malik, Tomlinson, and Horan added. “For the time being, our thoughts are with his family, friends, and the fans who loved him just like we did. We’ll miss him terribly. “We love you, Liam.”
In addition to the group statement, the four singers issued individual tributes.
“The bond and friendship we had doesn’t happen often in a lifetime,” Horan, who hosted a concert in Buenos Aires on October 2 that Payne attended, wrote in part of an Instagram post on October 18th. “I feel extremely fortunate to have seen him recently. Unfortunately, I had no idea that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I’d be saying goodbye forever. It is heartbreaking.
On October 19, Malik also announced that the U.S. leg of his tour would be postponed “given the heartbreaking loss experienced this week.”
Several celebrities, family members, and friends have paid tribute to Payne.
Has Liam Payne been laid to rest?
The public prosecutor confirmed to the BBC on November 6 that Payne’s body had been released to his family and flown back to the United Kingdom.
A funeral service was held on November 20, and his One Direction bandmates attended.
