Liam Payne Death Investigation: 3 People of Interest Detained

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The vocalist suffered a fatal fall "from the balcony of the third-floor country of the edifice successful the Buenos Aires vicinity of Palermo wherever helium was staying," according to an Oct. 17 merchandise from the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office No. 14 translated from Spanish to English.

An autopsy was performed, the merchandise continued, and determined Payne died of "multiple trauma" and "internal and outer hemorrhage" arsenic a effect of the fall.

While the merchandise said that, "as a substance of protocol, the circumstances of the lawsuit are being investigated arsenic a 'doubtful death,'"—meaning determination was nary conclusive accusation astir the origin of death, per NBC News—it noted that "everything indicates the instrumentalist was unsocial erstwhile the autumn occurred, and was going done immoderate benignant of outbreak owed to substance abuse."

Payne has spoken astir his conflict with sobriety successful the past, sharing successful a July 2023 YouTube video that he'd attended attraction for astir 100 days and that helium hadn't had a portion successful astir six months.

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According to the release, coroners reported 25 injuries successful Payne's autopsy that were "compatible with those caused by a autumn from height."

"They besides pointed retired that the caput injuries were capable to origin death," the merchandise continued, "while the interior and outer hemorrhages successful the skull, thorax, abdomen and limbs contributed to the mechanics of death."

In addition, the merchandise said forensic experts recovered "no antiaircraft injuries" aft examining the One Direction alum and that "no injuries were observed that would suggest the involution of 3rd parties."

Still, questions remain—including astir the authorities Payne whitethorn person been successful astatine the clip of his fall.

"The prosecution said that, fixed the presumption successful which the assemblage was near and the injuries from the fall," the merchandise added, "it is presumed that Payne did not follow a reflex posture to support himself and that he could person fallen into a authorities of semi- oregon full unconsciousness."

As aesculapian examiners question much answers, the merchandise noted, they've requested histopathological, biochemical and toxicological studies.

"At this point," the merchandise read, "the investigation of the tummy contents, intoxicant and toxins successful the blood, vitreous humor, bile, nasal swab and urine for the determination of intoxicant and toxins was required."

While a afloat toxicology study has yet to beryllium released, a preliminary report revealed Payne had drugs successful his strategy astatine his clip of death, an authoritative with nonstop cognition told The New York Times.

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Based connected prosecutors' reconstruction, the merchandise said, it appears Payne fell from the balcony of his third-floor country astatine the CasaSur Palermo edifice astatine 5:07 p.m. section time. "Minutes earlier," the merchandise continued, the edifice called 911 "to inquire for assistance for a impermanent who was nether the power of drugs and intoxicant and had destroyed immoderate objects successful the room."

"When SAME and officers from the 14B Neighborhood Police Station of the City Police arrived," the merchandise added, "Payne had already fallen from the balcony of his country and died connected the spot owed to the severity of his injuries."

As for what authorities recovered upon searching the room, the merchandise said constabulary discovered substances that look to beryllium narcotics and alcoholic beverages—though, it was noted confirmation from experts is inactive needed. The papers besides stated that determination were "several destroyed objects and furniture."

Authorities are besides looking into who had been successful the country earlier Payne's fall, with the merchandise noting "five testimonial statements were taken from 3 edifice workers and 2 women who, successful the hours prior, had been with the instrumentalist successful his room, but had already near the edifice erstwhile the incidental occurred."

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In audio of a 911 call obtained by Telemundo from section media successful Argentina, a edifice worker tin beryllium heard asking authorities for assistance.

"We person a impermanent who is overindulged successful drugs and alcohol," the caller said, per NBC News' translation. "Well, erstwhile helium is conscious helium breaks. He is breaking the full room. Well, we request you to nonstop someone, please."

The worker past further expressed concern.

"We request idiosyncratic to beryllium sent to america urgently, because—well, I don't cognize if helium is astatine risk," the idiosyncratic added. "The impermanent is successful a country that has a balcony and we are a small acrophobic that helium mightiness bash thing life-threatening."

The worker did not sanction Payne connected the call. NBC News reached retired to Payne's rep for remark but did not perceive back.

(E!, NBC News and Telemundo are each portion of the NBCUniversal family).

Instagram/Kate Cassidy

Payne had been vacationing successful Argentina with woman Kate Cassidy and had documented their travel anterior to his death.

Photos and videos shared to the "Strip That Down" artist's Snapchat relationship showed the mates spending prime clip together, eating breakfast, talking astir his plans to thrust horses and having what helium described arsenic a "lovely day" successful Argentina days earlier his fatal fall, per screenshots by NBC News. The last photograph shared to Payne's Snapchat relationship connected the time of his decease was a photograph of him and Cassidy successful their swimsuits.

Payne and Cassidy had noted connected societal media that she was heading backmost to Florida to beryllium with their canine Nala portion helium was staying successful Argentina.

"I was truthful acceptable to leave," Cassidy said successful an Oct. 14 TikTok video that showed her traveling back to the U.S. "Honestly, emotion South America but I hatred staying successful 1 spot for excessively long. And we were expected to beryllium determination for, like, 5 days, turned into 2 weeks, and I was conscionable like, 'I request to spell home.'"

After Payne's death, Cassidy expressed however she was astatine a "complete loss" and however "nothing astir the past fewer days person felt real."

"Liam, my angel," she wrote successful portion of an Oct. 18 Instagram post. "You are everything. I privation you bash cognize I loved you unconditionally and completely. I volition proceed to emotion you for the remainder of my life. I emotion you Liam."

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After Payne's death, his One Direction bandmates Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan expressed their heartache.

"We’re wholly devastated by the quality of Liam’s passing," the radical wrote connected Instagram successful a associated message Oct. 17. "In time, and erstwhile everyone is capable to, determination volition beryllium much to say. But for now, we volition instrumentality immoderate clip to grieve and process the nonaccomplishment of our brother, who we loved dearly."

One Direction was formed connected The X Factor successful 2010, and achieved immense occurrence earlier the set members parted ways successful 2015. 

"The memories we shared with him volition beryllium treasured forever," Styles, Malik, Tomlinson and Horan continued. "For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We volition miss him terribly. We emotion you Liam."

In summation to the radical statement, the 4 singers released idiosyncratic tributes.

"The enslaved and relationship we had doesn't hap often successful a lifetime," Horan, who hosted a performance successful Buenos Aires connected Oct. 2 that Payne had attended, wrote successful portion of an Oct. 18 Instagram post. "I consciousness truthful fortunate that I got to spot him recently. I sadly didn't cognize that aft saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would beryllium saying goodbye forever. It's heartbreaking."

Malik besides announced connected Oct. 19 that he's postponing the U.S. limb of his circuit "given the heartbreaking nonaccomplishment experienced this week." 

Several stars, household members and friends person besides honored Payne (read their tributes here).

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As for erstwhile the afloat toxicology results volition beryllium shared, a day has yet to beryllium revealed.

The National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No. 14 said successful an Oct. 22 release that its caput Andrés Esteban Madrea informed Payne’s father, Geoff, that toxicological and histopathological studies relating to the “Teardrops” artist’s decease person yet to beryllium completed. These results—the release, translated from Spanish to English continued—are “necessary to determine connected the release” Payne’s body.

Madrea besides told Geoff that “prosecution is not alert to day of different studies oregon laboratory analyses,” the merchandise added, “and has not released immoderate benignant of circumstantial method study extracurricular the exclusive model of the probe and the judicial process corresponding to this case.”

In presumption of different efforts, the merchandise noted “expert reports are being carried out connected compartment phones, computers, photographs and videos from information cameras that necessitate a longer investigation time.”

“Numerous statements were besides taken to reconstruct the victim's last hours and the country of the events,” the merchandise stated, “a process that is inactive ongoing with edifice workers, acquaintances, method and aesculapian professionals, and different radical linked to the unfortunate done their work.”