Liam Payne's Final Moments Revealed in Death Investigation Court Docs

Mike Marsland/Mike Marsland/WireImage

Bill McCay/Getty Images

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 had 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.

JC Olivera/Getty Images

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 remained—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 sought much answers, the merchandise noted, they requested histopathological, biochemical and toxicological studies.

"At this point," the Oct. 17 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."

A preliminary toxicology report revealed Payne had drugs successful his strategy astatine his clip of death, an authoritative with nonstop cognition told The New York Times.

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Karwai Tang/WireImage

Authorities bash not judge helium died by suicide, with a Nov. 7 press release from Argentina's nationalist authoritative stating that helium was not apt to beryllium afloat conscious erstwhile helium fell. 

"This concern would besides regularisation retired the anticipation of a conscious oregon voluntary enactment connected the portion of the victim," it said via Spanish translation, "since, successful the authorities helium was in, helium did not cognize what helium was doing nor could helium recognize it."

Tim P. Whitby/Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images

Based connected prosecutors' reconstruction, the Oct. 17 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 noted astatine the clip confirmation from experts was inactive needed. The papers besides stated determination were "several destroyed objects and furniture."

Authorities besides looked 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."

"The prosecution said that beyond reconstructing the circumstances of the musician's death," the merchandise continued, "the probe is besides aimed astatine determining the imaginable engagement of 3rd parties successful the events anterior to the victim's death."

Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

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.

Instagram / Katie Cassidy

Argentina's nationalist authoritative announced Nov. 7 that 3 radical person been charged successful the lawsuit aft "illicit behaviour was discovered," per a property merchandise translated from Spanish.

"The archetypal of the accused is the idiosyncratic who accompanied the creator connected a regular ground during his enactment successful the metropolis of Buenos Aires, who is charged with the crimes of abandonment of a idiosyncratic followed by death," work the statement. "The 2nd suspect is simply a edifice worker who indispensable reply for 2 proven supplies of cocaine to Liam Payne during the play helium was astatine the hotel, and the third, besides a cause supplier, is accused of 2 different intelligibly proven supplies during 2 antithetic times connected October 14."

The second 2 were each charged with 2 acts of supplying narcotics.

Gareth Cattermole/MTV EMAs 2017/Getty Images for MTV

As the prosecutor's bureau noted successful its Nov. 7 release, "exhaustive and meticulous actions and measures were taken to clarify the circumstances" astir Payne's death.

These include, the merchandise continued, "several twelve testimonies" from edifice employees, family, friends, aesculapian professionals, biochemists and psychiatrists. What's more, the merchandise added, a "detailed investigation of much than 800 hours of video footage from assorted information cameras successful the edifice and others connected nationalist roads" was conducted.

But that's not all. "The forensic extraction of the contents of the deceased musician's compartment telephone was besides carried out," the merchandise said. "From this, his calls, messages, chats connected messaging applications and societal networks were analyzed."

In addition, the merchandise said "several gigabytes of information extracted from different compartment phones were obtained and examined, specified arsenic that of the edifice reception and those of witnesses who voluntarily offered them to corroborate their statements."

Other accusation examined, the merchandise added, included "a grounds of the guests and orders astatine the edifice bar/restaurant" to spot who visited Payne arsenic good arsenic what they ate and drank.

Plus, the prosecutor's bureau said "nine raids were requested astatine homes" successful Buenos Aires. 

However, the Nov. 7 merchandise noted "the probe indispensable continue, since, among different procedures, the unlocking of the victim's idiosyncratic netbook - which is breached - and different devices seized successful the probe are inactive successful progress."

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 obtained 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."

Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

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).

Mike Marsland/WireImage