The cause of Liam Payne’s death has been officially confirmed during a UK inquest that took place three months after the tragic incident where the well-known One Direction member fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Payne was staying at the Casa Sur hotel in south America when he fell to his death after a drink-drug binge on October 16.
Following his sudden passing, fans worldwide were shocked, and heartfelt mourning spread globally, leading to a beautiful funeral that saw the attendance of music industry legends and all of Payne’s former bandmates.
His medical cause of death has now been announced to be ‘polytrauma’, a term which means a person has multiple traumatic injuries to their body.
During the hearing at Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court on December 17, it was revealed that determining the exact circumstances surrounding the 31-year-old’s death might be a lengthy process.
Five people have been charged over Payne’s death in Argentina after he fell from a third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel.
The hotel’s manager, a receptionist and a friend of Payne have been charged with manslaughter, Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office previously said in a statement.
They are reported to be hotel manager Gilda Martin, receptionist Esteban Grassi and Payne’s friend Roger Nores. Two other people have been charged over the supply of drugs.
Liam Payne ‘s cause of death has been confirmed at a UK inquest after the One Direction star fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina
A hearing, which Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court said was held on December 17, was told it may take ‘some time’ to ascertain exactly how the 31-year-old died
Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson in 2013
Nores is accused of manslaughter for having allegedly ‘abandoned him to his luck knowing that he was incapable of fending for himself and knowing that he [Liam] suffered from multiple addictions’, court documents show.
Two others, hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra and waiter Braian Paiz, have been charged with supplying cocaine.
The inquest into Payne’s death in the UK has been adjourned until a pre-inquest review on November 6, the coroner’s court said.
His medical cause of death was confirmed by Dr Roberto Victor Cohen as ‘polytrauma’, meaning multiple traumatic injuries.
The hearing was also told Payne, who was described as a ‘singer and entertainer’ during the hearing, was formally identified ‘with the assistance of the funeral directors in Buckinghamshire.’
Payne was one of five members of hit boyband One Direction alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan.
The band were formed on Simon Cowell’s The X Factor before becoming an international sensation.
They split in 2016 after Zayn decided to leave the band.
Liam Payne in the CasaSur Hotel lobby in Buenos Aires just minutes before his death
Photo released by the Buenos Aires Police showing a TV with a broken screen and a half-full glass of champagne at the hotel room
More floral tributes left in honour of Liam Payne in his hometown of Wolverhampton
The singer’s close friend Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores (pictured) has been charged with manslaughter
Payne struggled with drink and drugs after the split, but successfully became sober at a rehab clinic in 2023.
However by the night of his death he had relapsed and consumed alcohol and drugs, reports suggest.
He was seen hanging around the hotel lobby, smashing up his laptop and introducing himself to fans in the hours before his death.
He was eventually taken up to his hotel room by three people but is thought to have accidentally fallen after becoming unconscious.
After his death was announced, Payne’s father flew out to Buenos Aires to identify his son ahead of his repatriation back to the UK.
Payne’s funeral in November in Buckinghamshire was attended by Cheryl Tweedy, the mother of his son Bear, and fellow One Direction stars Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, along with his family and friends.
After his band went on hiatus he launched a successful solo career, releasing his debut solo album LP1 in December 2019, which included the songs Polaroid and Strip That Down featuring Quavo, and the track For You with Rita Ora.
Senior Coroner Crispin Butler said during December’s hearing: ‘Whilst there are ongoing investigations in Argentina into the circumstances of Liam’s death, over which I have no legal jurisdiction, it is anticipated that procuring the relevant information to address particularly how Liam came by his death may take some time through the formal channel of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.’
In Argentina, charges against five people have been confirmed by a judge over the 31-year-old’s death:
- Liam Payne’s friend RLN (Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores) is accused of manslaughter for allegedly ‘failing to fulfil his duties of care, assistance and help’ towards the One Direction singer after having ‘abandoned him to his luck knowing that he was incapable of fending for himself and knowing that he [Payne] suffered from multiple addictions’;
- CasaSu Hotel employee EDP (Ezequiel Pereyra) is accused of having sold Liam Payne cocaine on October 15 and October 16;
- Waiter BNP (Braian Paiz) is also alleged to have sold cocaine to Liam Payne twice on October 14;
- Hotel Manager GAM (Gilda Martín) is accused of manslaughter for allegedly failing to stop Liam Payne being taken to his hotel room. According to the court papers, she should have seen the ‘serious threat’ posed by his room’s balcony and instead ensured Payne was kept in a safer place until paramedics arrived;
- Chief receptionist ERG (Esteban Grassi) is also suspected of manslaughter for allegedly asking three people to ‘drag’ Payne to his room when he could not stand. He too should have kept him safe until help arrived, it is alleged.
Liam Payne, pictured with his former girlfriend Kate Cassidy shortly before his death
Liam Payne pictured next to a lift in the Casa Sur Hotel lobby
Payne continued to meet with fans in Argentina in the days leading up to his death
A drone view shows the balcony on the CasaSur Hotel from where Payne fell to his death. Hotel staff are accused of manslaughter for not keeping him safe before he fell from the balcony on October 16
Forensic investigators exit the hotel where the former One Direction singer was found dead after falling from a balcony in Buenos Aires
The head of the National Criminal and Correctional Court No 34, judge Laura Bruniard, said Nores ‘is responsible for the crime of negligent homicide as the perpetrator given that he had assumed a position of guarantor in front of the family of the deceased’.
It is claimed there is footage showing US citizen Nores was in the hotel around 50 minutes before Payne’s death, and the judge said he ‘should have consulted a doctor’ and ‘should have done this without relying on what the hotel employees could do’.
Prosecutors also claim Martin and Grassi saw Payne under the influence in the lobby, but did not provide medical help.
Judge Bruniard said that on the day of Payne’s death he ‘was unable to care for himself’ and footage shows he was unconscious and being dragged ‘by three people’.
‘The way he was being handled shows a state of vulnerability,’ the judge said, adding that Payne being taken to his room was a ‘risk to his life’.
‘Payne’s consciousness was altered and there was a balcony in the room,’ she added.
‘The proper thing to do was to leave him in a safe place and with company until a doctor arrived.’
She added that she does not think Martin and Grassi acted ‘maliciously’, but were ‘imprudent in allowing him to be taken to the room and taking him there respectively’.
Concluding, the judge said Nores, Martin and Grassi ‘contributed, although not in a planned manner, to creating a risk that resulted in Payne’s death, whether by action or omission’.
