Liam Payne reportedly made a troubling comment about the effects of being in a boy band shortly before his tragic fall.
A woman named Rebecca, who was staying at the CasaSur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, claimed to be one of the last people to see the former One Direction singer alive, as reported by the Daily Mail. During a 30-minute interaction in the hotel lobby, she said Payne indicated that his past in a boy band was a factor in his troubled state.
Unusual behavior leading up to his death
Rebecca, who works in IT in Washington, DC, and was at the hotel for a wedding, observed that Payne exhibited unusual behavior leading up to his death. She mentioned that he was supposed to check out of the hotel in the morning but lingered in the lobby into the afternoon. The hotel staff appeared anxious about his prolonged stay, particularly because one of her friends was set to occupy his suite.
She recounted that upon entering the hotel, she noticed him waiting by the elevator, clearly hoping for someone to recognize him, which struck her as somewhat desperate. Although she and her friends recognized him, they didn’t feel inclined to approach him.
Liam Payne slammed his laptop
When the elevator arrived, he reportedly exclaimed, “Yes, I’m Liam!” and invited them to join him, expressing a fondness for hugs. However, Rebecca chose to wait for the next elevator, while some of her friends got in with him. She later recalled that halfway up, he made comments about Americans, saying that they were “crazy” and “dangerous.” Additionally, he allegedly playfully pretended to choke one of the girls, which some found unsettling.
Rebecca mentioned that about ten minutes after their initial encounter, she saw Payne again in the lobby, where he was using his laptop. She alleged that he appeared to read something upsetting in his email, leading him to react by yelling and slamming his laptop on the ground, which startled everyone around, especially the hotel staff.
Time in a boy band
She approached him to ask if he was okay, but he merely grunted in response. He then reportedly expressed that his time in a boy band was the reason for his troubled state, which she found surprising. There were more expletives involved in his comments, and after this, he took his laptop and headed toward the elevator.
Rebecca recounted that a member of Payne’s entourage, identified as Roger, later approached her to apologize for Payne’s outburst, suggesting that he sometimes gets overwhelmed.
Moments later, Payne returned to the lobby, causing concern among the hotel staff, who appeared anxious and were observed contacting security. He then stumbled and fell hard on the floor, prompting staff to assist him back into the elevator.
Liam Payne seen relaxing on a couch
In photos shared by Rebecca with the Daily Mail, Payne was seen relaxing on a couch in the hotel, using his laptop and interacting with fans near the elevator. She noted that she captured these images at around 4:26 p.m. local time, just before he reportedly mentioned feeling “f—ked up” due to his boy band experience.
Shortly after 5 p.m., the hotel’s chief receptionist called the police, urgently requesting assistance. Initially, it seemed that the officers were there to remove him, but as hotel staff became frantic, the seriousness of the situation became clear. Witnesses noted the distressing nature of his fall, and some initially thought he had simply injured himself; however, the grim reality set in when they later saw him being taken out on a stretcher.
Following this traumatic incident, Rebecca chose to leave the hotel with her friends, struggling with the loud, emotional reactions of teenage fans outside.
Death due to fall
After Payne’s death, officials initially indicated that he had jumped from his balcony, but the autopsy report later clarified that he had fallen. Pablo Policicchio, the communications director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry, informed Page Six that investigations are ongoing to determine if the fall was accidental or intentional.
Authorities discovered a chaotic scene in Payne’s hotel room, with images showing a damaged television, an unfinished glass of champagne, and drug paraphernalia scattered throughout the room and bathroom. The singer had previously battled substance abuse issues and had undergone rehabilitation as recently as the previous year.
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