Hotel worker and ‘drug dealer’ are arrested in Liam Payne death probe: Pair accused of supplying One Direction star with drugs before balcony fall – as his wealthy friend denies he’s third arrested man
A hotel worker and a drug dealer were today revealed as two of the three mystery men arrested over the death of Liam Payne in Buenos Aires.
Police in Argentina believe they have uncovered drug dealing at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel where the One Direction star fell to his death from his suite’s third-floor balcony on October 16.
A 21-year-old and a 24-year-old have been named overnight by respected Argentine news website Infobae as two of the three arrested suspects. They are accused of supplying Mr Payne with drugs while a third suspect is under investigation for abandoning a person who subsequently died.
The publication described the 21-year-old, from Ingeniero Budge on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, as an employee of the CasaSur Palermo hotel accused of having supplied cocaine to Payne on at least two occasions.
The 24-year-old drug dealer is from Berazategui, a suburb south-east of the city centre. He allegedly supplied narcotics to the former member of One Direction in the days before his death.
The singer’s close friend Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores has denied that he is the third suspect and told MailOnline last night that he would never have abandoned the star.
Prosecutors have made it clear that any idea that Liam had committed suicide had been ruled out and said he was in a state of ‘semi or total unconsciousness’ as he fell to his death when he ‘didn’t know what he was doing.’
Tests have shown the 31-year-old binged on alcohol and cocaine before he died and also had traces of an antidepressant in his system.
Argentinian prosecutors probing the death of Liam Payne (pictured) confirmed tonight the arrests of three suspects who are now under formal investigation
Liam Payne ‘s close friend Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores (Pictured) has denied abandoning the former One Direction star in the hours leading up to his death
Aerial view of the hotel where British singer Liam Payne died in Buenos Aires
Prosecutors in the Argentine capital said in a statement last night that they had requested the arrests of three men as part of their ongoing investigation into Liam’s death.
But it was reported early this morning in Argentina that they were not at home when police arrived to detain them and search their homes.
They are now on bail after subsequently handing themselves in and avoiding a formal arrest. Their bail conditions are understood to include a travel ban and the obligation to sign on at court once a week.
Prosecutors have yet to confirm any bail arrangements.
The three men are now being formally investigated on suspicion of abandoning a person who subsequently died and supplying and facilitating drugs.
The statement described one as the person who ‘routinely accompanied Liam during his stay in Buenos Aires.’
They said of the hotel worker and the ‘drug dealer’: ‘The second suspect is a hotel employee who must respond for two proven supplies of cocaine to Liam Payne during the time he was in the hotel.
‘The third is also a drug dealer who is being investigated on suspicion of another two clearly proven supplies of cocaine at two different times on October 14.’
Flowers and tributes for One Direction’s Liam Payne lay in the bandstand of West Park after being relocated from the city centre by council workers in Liam’s home town of Wolverhampton
Mr Payne’s fans remain heartbroken by his death
Tributes to the star continue
Any formal charges under Argentinian law would be laid at a later date after written indictments are submitted.
Liam’s close friend Rogelio Nores last night denied abandoning the former One Direction star in the hours leading up to his death.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline Mr Nores – known a ‘Roger’ – denied being a suspect in the 31-year-old’s death and rubbished claims police had raided his home in his native Buenos Aires.
A description given by authorities appeared to indicate Mr Nores, who had accompanied Liam in the days before he died, had been charged with ‘abandoning a person followed by death’.
The individual in question has also been charged with being complicit in the supply of drugs – both crimes are punishable by a prison sentence of up to 15 years on conviction.
However, Mr Nores has slammed claims that he was under investigation connected to the One Direction star’s death in an emotional statement shared with MailOnline.
‘I’m really heart-broken with this tragedy, and I’ve been missing my friend every day,’ Mr Nores told MailOnline – he and Liam are pictured here in West Hollywood in June this year
‘I never abandoned Liam, I went to his hotel 3 times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened,’ Mr Nores said.
‘There were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left.
‘I could have never imagined something like this would happen.
‘I’ve given my statement to the prosecutor on October 17 as a witness and I haven’t spoken to any police officer or prosecutor ever since.
‘I wasn’t Liam’s manager he was just my very dear friend and please refer to the email I sent to Liam and his team on August 23.
‘I’m really heart-broken with this tragedy, and I’ve been missing my friend every day.’
It comes after the One Direction star, 31, died after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palmero Hotel in Buenos Aires on October 16.
Payne had been on holiday in South America with girlfriend Kate Cassidy (left)
In their third official statement released since the star’s death, Argentinian public prosecutors revealed only alcohol, cocaine and an anti-depressant were found in the former One Direction singer’s system.
Despite previous speculation, they have ruled out that the pop star took his own life after falling from the balcony.
The statement from the investigation led by prosecutor Andrés Esteban Madrea confirmed ‘unlawful conduct’ was discovered in relation to the pop star’s death.
The statement read: ‘Three people were charged with the crimes of abandonment of a person followed by death, supply and facilitation of narcotics.
‘From the beginning of the investigation and within a few days, exhaustive and meticulous actions and measures were carried out to clarify the circumstances surrounding the death of the artist.’
They divulged that 800 hours of CCTV footage was examined as well as several dozen statements having been received from hotel staff, family, friends and medical professionals.
They confirmed that they had analysed the pop star’s mobile phone during the investigation as well as the hotel guest registry as well as bar and restaurant orders.
They also confirmed that necessary thanatological and laboratory studies were carried out and completed during the post-mortem.
The statement continued: ‘As a result of the evidence gathered and after analysing the various bodies of evidence and numerous documentary annexes and the background of the case, prosecutor Andrea Madrea formally charged three people, requesting their indictment and detention in a 180-page report presented last Friday before Judge Bruniard.’
Two hotel workers as well as another individual have been arrested in relation to the star’s death (Pictured: Liam Payne in Argentina)
Liam rose to fame with band One Direction. He is pictured with bandmates (left-right) Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik
They confirmed that an individual who accompanied the artist on a daily basis during his stay in Buenos Aires has been charged with abandonment of a person followed by death.
The person in question has also been charged with the supply and facilitation of narcotics, according to authorities.
The second defendant who is a hotel worker has been charged with the supply of cocaine to Liam Payne during the period he was at the hotel.
The third person has also been charged with supplying narcotics to the pop star on October 14, prosecutors say.
It comes as Police investigating the death of Liam Payne raided the homes of two hotel employees and a ‘friend’ of the former One Direction singer on Tuesday in the province of Buenos Aires.
Toxicology reports, which have already been communicated with Liam’s family, revealed he had consumed alcohol, cocaine and a prescribed anti-depressant in the last 72-hours of his life.
An autopsy carried out by Forensic Medical Corps (CMF) concluded ‘polytraumatisms’ and ‘internal and external haemorrhage’ was the cause of pop star’s death.
One Direction (from left to right) Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik in 2011
Emotional One Direction fans embrace as they pay tribute to the late pop star on October 17
Prosecutors confirmed that the injuries were ‘compatible with those produced by a fall from a height and that self-injury of any kind and/or the physical intervention of third parties has been ruled out’.
Post mortem findings also deduced that Liam may have fallen whilst in a ‘state of semi-or-total unconsciousness’, prosecutors say.
It comes amid confirmation that Liam Payne was flown back to the UK yesterday as the One Direction star’s body was finally released to his family.
Liam’s body had been held in Argentina while local officials completed further post-mortem tests.
Public prosecutor Andrés Madrea confirmed to the BBC that Liam’s body had been released to his family on Wednesday.
The singer’s father Geoff Payne has been in the country where his son died in recent weeks and was seen paying respects to his son and even joining mourners amid a sea of floral tributes.
Thousands of fans across the world gathered in the days and weeks following Liam’s passing with many breaking down in tears.
News of the singer’s repatriation comes shortly after reports in the Argentine press had claimed the necessary paperwork to allow for the singer’s body to return home were complete.
Geoff Payne was initially warned by investigators upon his arrival in Buenos Aires that it would take up to 15 days before all their examinations were over.
Liam had been in Argentina with long-term girlfriend Kate Cassidy, leaving the couple’s holiday to return home to the US two days prior to his death.
The pop star’s journey to superstardom began at only 14-years-old Liam impressed XFactor judges with his own version of Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra – but was later eliminated from the show.
However Payne gave his singing career another go auditioning for the competition again in 2010, where he quickly shot to fame as part of One Direction.
He and his former bandmates Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson, were brought together by Simon Cowell and former judge Nicole Scherzinger who saw their potential as a group.
After just a few weeks of getting to know each other and non-stop rehearsing, the group impressed Simon at their Judge’s Houses audition and sailed through to the live shows.
The pop Svengali later admitted to Rolling Stone that it took him ‘about a millionth of a second’ to spot the group’s worldwide potential.
The fan reaction was instant too, with 1D hysteria soon dwarfing the show. Despite the adoration, the band ultimately finished in third place on the X Factor but shortly afterwards Cowell sealed their fate by signing the fivesome to a reported £2million Syco contract.
Keen to capitalise on the boys’ already devoted fanbase, Cowell moved quickly with recording for the band’s debut album beginning in January 2011.
By September of that year One Direction’s first single was released with What Makes You Beautiful soaring to number one on the UK Singles Chart, after becoming the most pre-ordered Sony Music Entertainment single in history.
Their debut album, Up All Night was also a best seller, becoming the UK’s fastest-selling debut album of 2011, with the record leading to their first tour which kicked off in the UK that December.
Fans have been paying their respects to the popstar at the hotel since his tragic death
After Malik announced his departure from the band in 2016, the band members went their separate ways.
During their time as a group, One Direction won five Brit Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, amassed over three billion YouTube views and sold 50 million records worldwide.
After releasing five albums with one of the biggest boybands of all time, Liam released his first solo album titled LP1 in 2019.
His singles Strip That Down co-written with Ed Sheeran climbed its way to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that same year.
Over the course of his music career, the popstar collaborated with the likes of J Balvin, French Montana, Dixie D’Amelio and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie.
