Liam Payne’s cause of death has been confirmed during a British inquest, three months after the One Direction star fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Payne was staying at the Casa Sur hotel in South America when he died on October 16 after a drug and alcohol binge.
Fans around the world were stunned by his sudden death and an outpouring of grief culminated in a moving funeral, attended by musical royalty and all of Payne’s former bandmates.
It has now been announced that his medical cause of death is ‘polytrauma’, a term meaning someone has multiple traumatic injuries to their body.
A hearing, which Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court heard took place on December 17, was told it could take ‘some time’ to establish exactly how the 31-year-old died.
Five people have been charged in connection with Payne’s death in Argentina after he fell from a third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel.
The hotel manager, a receptionist and a friend of Payne have been charged with manslaughter, Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor said earlier in a statement.
They are said to be hotel manager Gilda Martin, receptionist Esteban Grassi and Payne’s friend Roger Nores. Two other people have been charged with drug supply.
Liam Payne’s cause of death has been confirmed at a British inquest after the One Direction star fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aries, Argentina
A hearing, which Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court heard took place on December 17, was told it could take ‘some time’ to establish exactly how the 31-year-old died.
Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson in 2013
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Nores is charged with manslaughter for allegedly abandoning him to his fate, knowing he was unable to care for himself and knowing that he [Liam] suffered from multiple addictions,” court documents show.
Two others, hotel worker Ezequiel Pereyra and waiter Braian Paiz, have been charged with supplying cocaine.
The inquest into Payne’s death in Britain has been adjourned until a pre-inquest hearing on November 6, the coroner’s court was told.
His medical cause of death was confirmed by Dr. Roberto Victor Cohen as “polytrauma,” meaning multiple traumatic injuries.
The hearing was also told that Payne, who was described at the hearing as a ‘singer and entertainer’, was formally identified ‘with the assistance of Buckinghamshire funeral directors.’
Payne was one of the five members of the popular boy band One Direction alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan.
The band formed on Simon Cowell’s The X Factor before becoming an international sensation.
They broke up in 2016 after Zayn decided to leave the band.
Liam Payne in the lobby of the CasaSur Hotel in Buenos Aires, just minutes before his death
Photo released by Buenos Aires police showing a TV with a broken screen and a half-full glass of champagne in the hotel room
More flower arrangements in honor of Liam Payne in his hometown of Wolverhampton
The singer’s good friend, Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores (photo) has been charged with manslaughter
Payne struggled with drink and drugs after the split, but successfully sobered up in rehab in 2023.
But on the night of his death he had relapsed and consumed alcohol and drugs, reports said.
He was seen hanging out in the hotel lobby, smashing his laptop and introducing himself to fans in the hours before his death.
He was eventually taken to his hotel room by three people, but it is believed he accidentally fell out of the window after falling unconscious.
After his death was announced, Payne’s father flew to Buenos Aries to identify his son before he was repatriated to Britain.
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 and released his debut solo album LP1 in December 2019, featuring the songs Polaroid and Strip That Down with Quavo, and the song For You with Rita Ora.
Senior coroner Crispin Butler said at the hearing in December: ‘While there are ongoing investigations in Argentina into the circumstances of Liam’s death, over which I have no legal jurisdiction, it is expected that obtaining the relevant information to address in particular how Liam met his death, it took some time through the formal channel of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.’
In Argentina, charges against five people have been upheld by a judge over the 31-year-old’s death:
- Liam Payne’s boyfriend RLN (Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores) is charged with manslaughter for allegedly ‘failing to discharge his duties of care, aid and assistance’ to the One Direction singer after ‘abandoning him to his fate in the knowledge that he was unable to defend himself’. for himself and knowing that he [Payne] suffered from multiple addictions’;
- CasaSu Hotel employee EDP (Ezequiel Pereyra) is accused of selling cocaine to Liam Payne on October 15 and 16;
- Ober BNP (Braian Paiz) is also alleged to have sold cocaine twice to Liam Payne on October 14;
- Hotel manager GAM (Gilda Martín) is charged with manslaughter for allegedly failing to prevent Liam Payne from being taken to his hotel room. According to the court papers, she should have seen the “serious threat” from the balcony of his room and instead made sure Payne was kept in a safer place until the ambulance arrived;
- Head receptionist ERG (Esteban Grassi) is also suspected of manslaughter for allegedly asking three people to ‘drag’ Payne to his room while he was unable to stand. He too should have kept him safe until help arrived, it is claimed.
Liam Payne, pictured with his ex-girlfriend Kate Cassidy, shortly before his death
Liam Payne pictured next to an elevator in the lobby of the Casa Sur Hotel, minutes before his death
Payne continued to meet fans in Argentina in the days leading up to his death
A drone shot shows the balcony of the CasaSur Hotel where Payne fell to his death. Hotel staff are charged with manslaughter for failing to protect him before he fell from the balcony on October 16
Forensic investigators leave 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 “as perpetrator is responsible for the crime of negligent homicide, as he had assumed a position of surety to the family of the deceased.”
It is claimed there is footage showing US citizen Nores was at the hotel about 50 minutes before Payne’s death, and the judge said he “should have consulted a doctor” and “should have done so without relying on what the hotel staff could do’.
Prosecutors also allege that Martin and Grassi saw Payne in the lobby while intoxicated but failed to provide medical attention.
Judge Bruniard said that on the day of Payne’s death he was ‘unable to care for himself’ and footage showed him unconscious and being dragged ‘by three people’.
“The way he was treated demonstrates a state of vulnerability,” the judge said, adding that taking Payne 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 right thing to do was 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 that they were “careless in allowing him to be taken to the room and taking him there respectively.”
In conclusion, 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 act or omission.”