Five Individuals Accused in Relation to Liam Payne’s Death, Prosecutor Reveals

Five individuals face charges linked to the tragic demise of former One Direction member Liam Payne in Argentina, as disclosed by the nation’s prosecutor’s office on Monday. The British artist plummeted from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires last October, at the age of 31.

Among those charged are Payne's "representative," the hotel manager, and its head of reception, all accused of manslaughter. Conviction could result in a prison sentence of up to five years. Additionally, a hotel staff member and a local waiter have been indicted for providing Payne with cocaine during his stay. The court has mandated their detention pending trial, with potential sentences extending to 15 years.

The identities of the accused remain undisclosed, apart from their professional connections to Payne. An autopsy revealed Payne had alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his system at the time of his death, according to Argentine prosecutors.

Judge Laura Bruniard, overseeing the case, surmised that Payne, in his intoxicated state, mistook the balcony for an exit, leading to his accidental fall. Evidence from expert analyses, witness accounts, and hotel security footage supported this conclusion. Minutes before his fatal plunge on October 16, Payne appeared visibly intoxicated in the hotel lobby.

"At 4:54 p.m., Liam Payne was found unconscious in the reception area of Casa Sur and was subsequently dragged by three individuals to his room," Judge Bruniard stated. The hotel manager is accused of passively allowing Payne's transfer to a room with a perilous balcony. The receptionist allegedly directed the group that moved Payne from the lobby. "Proper conduct would have involved ensuring his safety in a secure area, accompanied until medical aid arrived," the judge further noted.

Payne's representative allegedly departed the hotel 50 minutes before the fall, aware of Payne's vulnerable condition. The representative purportedly neglected his responsibilities of care and assistance, abandoning Payne, who was deemed incapable of self-care due to his addictions. The representative, an American national, is prohibited from leaving Argentina.

Although the charges against the hotel manager, receptionist, and representative are of manslaughter, the judge indicated their actions were neither collaborative nor premeditated. Those accused of drug provision are ordered to remain in preventive custody.

Payne had been open about his battles with substance abuse and mental health. By mid-2023, he celebrated six months of sobriety following treatment in the U.S. His anticipated South American tour was postponed due to a kidney ailment.

The sudden loss of Payne sent shockwaves through the music industry. As a member of One Direction, formed on the British X Factor in 2010, he achieved phenomenal success. The group, featuring Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik, announced an "indefinite hiatus" in 2016.

His former bandmates attended his funeral in Amersham, near London, in late November, joined by music impresario Simon Cowell, who had a pivotal role in the formation of One Direction. Just before his death, Payne was spotted in Argentina at Horan's concert.

On the night of October 16, hotel staff urgently called for police intervention. An emergency call recorded by CNN’s Argentina affiliate Todo Noticias captured a staff member reporting: "We have a guest overwhelmed by drugs and alcohol... He is causing destruction. He is tearing the room apart.