An Argentinian judge has ruled that charges against five individuals linked to the death of former One Direction singer Liam Payne will proceed. Payne, 31, tragically fell from the third-floor balcony of his Buenos Aires hotel room on October 16, following a night involving substance use.
Judge Laura Bruniard’s December 27 decision allows the prosecution to move forward, with trials set for early 2025. Those charged include a hotel employee and waiter accused of supplying narcotics, and the hotel’s manager and receptionist, both charged with manslaughter. Payne’s companion, Rogério Nores, faces similar charges after initially being accused of abandonment of a person followed by death.
Authorities revealed Payne had multiple substances in his system, including “pink cocaine,” cocaine, crack, and benzodiazepines. A pipe used for drug ingestion was also discovered in his room. Autopsy reports detailed “multiple traumas” and “internal and external hemorrhage.”
Security footage showed Payne in a vulnerable state before being taken to his room, prompting Judge Bruniard to conclude the hotel staff failed to provide adequate care. “The proper course of action was to ensure his safety until medical assistance arrived,” Bruniard noted.
While the hotel staff and Nores will remain free on bond, the narcotics suppliers face potential sentences of up to 15 years.Payne’s death shocked fans worldwide. He was laid to rest on November 20 in a private UK ceremony attended by family, friends, and his former bandmates from One Direction.
