Liam Payne died from multiple injuries and internal and external bleeding after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, according to the Argentinian prosecutor’s office. The autopsy confirmed that the pop star’s head trauma was severe enough to cause his death.
The ongoing investigation, which includes interviews with five witnesses to reconstruct the 31-year-old musician’s final hours, suggests Payne was alone at the time of the fall. Substances found in his hotel room pointed to alcohol and drug use.
The former One Direction member died at 5 p.m. local time on Wednesday. Guests at the Casa Sur hotel said that they heard loud noises and shouting for hours before Payne’s fall, The Guardian reported.
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Doug Jones, a guest at the hotel, said, “I thought they were doing construction, there was so much banging, doors slamming, most of the day. It was loud, bizarre. Later I heard the sirens, thinking perhaps there was a fire somewhere. And then I heard a very loud scream.”
A hotel receptionist had earlier called emergency services to report an “aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol,” according to Reuters. The hotel manager recalled hearing a loud noise at the back of the building, and when police arrived, they discovered that a man had fallen from the balcony of his room.
Photos allegedly showing Payne’s room in disarray were published in local media, sparking criticism about journalistic ethics, as the images were believed to have been taken by hotel staff.
In a statement, Payne’s family expressed their grief: “Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
Liam Payne rose to fame as a member of One Direction, formed on The X Factor in 2010. Host Dermot O’Leary paid tribute, calling him “a joy” who “had time for everyone, [was] polite, grateful, and was always humble.”
Ronnie Wood, who performed with One Direction in 2014, said it had been “a pleasure to work with him,” while Charlie Puth, co-writer of Payne’s 2017 solo song “Bedroom Floor,” called him a “major artist.”
Payne’s former bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan, as well as Cheryl Tweedy, with whom he shares a son, Bear, in 2017, have yet to comment on his death.
Rebecca Ferguson, runner-up on *The X Factor* in 2010, reflected on meeting Payne: “I can’t help but think of that boy who was hopeful and looking forward to his bright future ahead,” she tweeted.
She added, “I’ve spoken for years about the exploitation and profiteering of young stars and the effects – many of us are still living with the aftermath and the PTSD. Many of us are devastated and reflective today as it has finally taken its first victim.”
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