Liam Payne: Police in Argentina arrest three people in connection with One Direction star’s death
Argentinian prosecutors probing Liam Payne’s death confirmed last night the arrests of three suspects who are now under formal investigation.
Several reports tonight said the trio had been ‘charged’ with offences, however sources familiar with the Argentine judicial system said they had instead been arrested and placed under official suspicion, and had not been formally indicted.
Authorities have not named a ‘friend’, who they are accusing of ‘abandoning a person followed by death’ in relation to the singer’s demise.
They are also accusing the individual of being complicit in the supply of drugs, crimes which are punishable by a prison sentence of up to 15 years on conviction.
Two hotel workers are also among the three individuals now being formally investigated by authorities, according to ABC News.
It comes after the One Direction star, 31, died after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palmero Hotel in Buenos Aires on October 16.
Argentinian prosecutors probing Liam Payne ‘s death sensationally confirmed last night the arrests of three suspects who are now under formal investigation
Aerial view of the hotel where British singer Liam Payne died in Buenos Aires
Payne had been on holiday in South America with girlfriend Kate Cassidy (left)
Liam Payne’s last post on Snapchat before he fell to his death from the third floor of a hotel
In their third official statement released since the star’s death, public prosecutors revealed only alcohol, cocaine and an anti-depressant were found in the former One Direction singer’s system.
Despite previous speculation, they have ruled out that the pop star took his own life after falling from the balcony.
The statement from the investigation led by prosecutor Andrés Esteban Madrea confirmed ‘unlawful conduct’ was discovered in relation to the pop star’s death.
The statement read: ‘Three people were charged with the crimes of abandonment of a person followed by death, supply and facilitation of narcotics.
‘From the beginning of the investigation and within a few days, exhaustive and meticulous actions and measures were carried out to clarify the circumstances surrounding the death of the artist.’
They divulged that 800 hours of CCTV footage was examined as well as several dozen statements received from hotel staff, family, friends and medical professionals.
They confirmed that they had examined the pop star’s mobile phone in the investigation as well as the hotel guest registry.
They also confirmed that necessary thanatological and laboratory studies were carried out and completed in the post-mortem.
The statement continued: ‘As a result of the evidence gathered and after analysing the various bodies of evidence and numerous documentary annexes and the background of the case, the prosecutor Andrea Madrea formally charged three people, requesting their indictment and detention in a 180-page report presented last Friday before Judge Bruniard.’
Liam Payne (Pictured in Argentina) may have been ‘semi-conscious or completely unconscious’ when he fatally fell from a third floor hotel balcony, Argentina’s prosecutor office has said
Liam rose to fame with band One Direction. He is pictured with bandmates (left-right) Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik
They confirmed that an individual who accompanies the artist on a daily basis during his stay in Buenos Aires has been charged with abandonment of a person followed by death.
The person in question has also been charged with the concurrence with the supply and facilitation of narcotics according to authorities.
The second defendant who is a hotel worker has been charged with the supply of cocaine to Liam Payne during the period he was at the hotel.
The third person has also been charged with supplying narcotics to the pop star on October 14, prosecutors say.
It comes as Police investigating the death of Liam Payne raided the homes of two hotel employees and a ‘friend’ of the former One Direction singer on Tuesday in the province of Buenos Aires.
After releasing five albums with one of the biggest boybands of all time, Liam released his first solo album titled LP1 in 2019
It has been revealed he spent £10,000 donating to several GoFundMe pages in one single night last month
Over the course of his music career, the popstar collaborated with the likes of J Balvin, French Montana, Dixie D’Amelio and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie
Emotional One Direction fans embrace as they pay tribute to the late pop star
Fans light candles outside the hotel where former One Direction Payne was found dead
Fans have also paid tribute to the star in Mexico City
One Direction fans gather to pay tribute to Liam Payne, at the Monument of the Revolution, in Mexico City
Tributes and flowers are placed outside St. Peter’s collegiate church to remember former One Direction singer Liam Payne, in Wolverhampton
Toxicology reports, which have already been communicated with Liam’s family revealed he had consumed alcohol, cocaine and a prescribed anti-depressant in the last 72-hours of his life, prosecutors have said.
Post mortem carried out by Forensic Medical Corps (CMF) concluded ‘polytraumatisms’ and ‘internal and external haemorrhage’ was the cause of pop star’s cause of death.
Prosecutors confirmed that the injuries were ‘compatible with those produced by a fall from a height and that self-injury of any kind and/or the physical intervention of third parties has been ruled out’.
Autopsy findings also found that Liam may have fallen whilst in a ‘state of semi-or-total unconsiousness’, proescutors say.
It comes amid confirmation that Liam Payne was flown back to the UK yesterday as the One Direction star’s body has finally been released to his family.
The news comes three weeks after Liam died at the age of 31 on October 16 when he fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
An autopsy previously confirmed Liam had suffered internal and external bleeding and multiple traumatic injuries sustained as a result of the fall.
Just last week local police raided the Casa Sur Hotel where the fall occurred as they followed up on allegations that staff had sold the singer drugs in the hours leading up to his death.
Liam’s body had been held in Argentina while local officials completed further post-mortem tests. It was released to his family on Wednesday, public prosecutor Andrés Madrea told the BBC.
The singer’s father Geoff Payne has been in the country where his son died over recent weeks and was seen earlier this week paying respects to his son and even joining mourners amid a sea of floral tributes.
Thousands of fans across the world gathered in the days and weeks following Liam’s passing with many breaking down in tears.
News of the singer’s repatriation comes shortly after reports in the Argentine press had claimed the necessary paperwork to allow for the singer’s body to return home were complete.
Geoff Payne was initially warned by investigators upon his arrival in Buenos Aires that it would take up to 15 days before all their examinations were over.
Liam had been in Argentina with long-term girlfriend Kate Cassidy, leaving the couple’s holiday to return home to the US two days prior to his death.
The singer’s solo career came off the back of global stardom that began with ITV talent show, The X Factor.
He was eventually put in a boyband with four other solo hopefuls at the boot camp stage of the competition – the group which later became One Direction.
In 2012, the band won their first Brit Award for best British single for their debut track What Makes You Beautiful, before picking up the Brit global success award a year later.
