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Liam Payne, the 31-year-old former One Direction singer, died after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday. Investigations have uncovered a narrative involving drugs, alcohol, and personal struggles that plagued the singer before his death.
Substance abuse and addiction
The CasaSur Palermo Hotel, where Payne was staying, was in complete disarray when the police arrived. According to images verified by Argentina’s newspaper, 'La Nacion', Payne’s third-floor hotel room was littered with drug narcotics and alcohol. The room was scattered with foil, powder, a smashed television, and a half-filled champagne glass. A burning candle, an empty Dove soap packet, and other items, including white powder—suspected to be cocaine—were found on the desk. Burnt foil in the bathtub added to suspicions of drug use.
Local authorities confirmed that clonazepam, an anti-anxiety medication commonly prescribed for panic disorders and epilepsy, was found at the scene. Liam Payne had been open about his mental health challenges, particularly his struggle with agoraphobia, a condition that can cause intense anxiety in situations where a person feels trapped or unable to escape.
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Authorities added that there were no signs of a third party being involved, though the incident was being investigated as a "suspicious death" out of protocol. "Everything indicates that the musician was alone when the fall occurred, and was going through some kind of episode due to substance abuse," the prosecutor's office said.
'High on drugs and alcohol.' hotel staff informs police
In the hours leading up to Liam Payne's death, hotel staff at the CasaSur Palermo in Buenos Aires made two emergency calls to the police. The calls were in Spanish and transcribed by the BBC. The first call, placed around 5 pm, reported an "aggressive man" suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The caller identified himself as the chief receptionist of the hotel and explained that the guest was behaving erratically and trashing the room. He urged the dispatcher to send someone quickly to the location.
In a second call, the same hotel staff member told the dispatcher that the guest was "high on drugs and alcohol", which made him a danger to himself, especially because he was near the balcony. Concerned for the guest's safety, he requested immediate help, fearing the situation could get worse. The dispatcher confirmed that medical emergency services would be alerted but also noted that the authorities needed to be involved due to the guest's behaviour.
"Upon entering, total disorder was observed, with various elements broken," the police said in a statement, adding they had taken more fingerprints and other evidence to be analyzed in labs, as well as a notebook and passport, as reported by Reuters news agency.
Legal battles with ex-fiancé Maya Henry amid allegations
Payne had been involved in legal issues with his ex-fiancé, Maya Henry. Henry had reportedly issued a cease-and-desist order, accusing the singer of harassing her and her family. The singer’s current girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, had left Argentina just two days before his death.
As some One Direction fans accused the model of being “obsessed” with Payne, Maya Henry shared her side of the story in a video on TikTok on October 6.
“Ever since we broke up he messages me, will blow up my phone, not only from his phone, it’s always from different phone numbers too, so I never know where it’s gonna come from,” she said, as quoted by the Independent.
“He’ll create new iCloud accounts to message me - it’s always a new damn iCloud account. Every time I see one pop up on my phone I’m like, ‘here we f***ing go again’.
“Also, he will email me... not only me, but he’ll blow up my mom’s phone. Is this normal behaviour to you?”
Henry accused Payne of “weaponising” his fans against her as she detailed the backlash she received from his supporters.
Earlier this week, the influencer told 'The Internet is Dead' podcast, that she felt the singer used threats of suicide as a “manipulation tactic”.
“He would always message me ever since we broke up [saying], ‘Oh, I’m not well,’” she claimed. “He would always play with death and be like, ‘Well, I’m going to die. I’m not doing well.’”
Payne leaves behind his 7-year-old son, Bear Grey, whom he shared with his ex-partner, Cheryl Cole. His sudden death has shocked fans and fellow artists, with millions taking to social media to express their grief.
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