Liam Payne’s £30k Rolex watch still missing nearly a month after his death as police launch hunt for designer timepiece former One Direction star ‘was wearing hours before’ fatal balcony fall
Argentinian police probing Liam Payne’s death are still hunting the singer’s missing £30,000 Rolex, it was claimed today.
The designer watch was not discovered during raids last week on the homes of three men made suspects in an ongoing criminal investigation.
Respected Argentinian daily La Nacion says searches of the homes of two female escorts Liam spent his last hours with before his third-floor balcony plunge at his Buenos Aires hotel, who are being treated as witnesses and have not been accused of any crimes, also turned up nothing.
It reported this weekend the CasaSur Palermo Hotel would be searched again for the expensive timepiece.
The operation in the ‘next 72 hours’, according to La Nacion, is set to focus on the former One Direction singer’s deluxe suite room in case the watch, which investigators reportedly suspect may have been stolen, was missed first time round.
Argentinian police probing Liam Payne ‘s death are still hunting the singer’s missing £30,000 Rolex, it was claimed today (It is not known if police are searching for the Rolex watch pictured above)
Liam pictured on the red carpet on arrival for the BRIT Awards 2019 in London on February 20, 2019
Liam is said to have been seen wearing the Rolex in CCTV images and other photos incorporated into the prosecution case files shortly before he died around 5pm local time on October 16.
A judicial source told La Nacion: ‘We know from images that have been analysed that Liam had the watch on the day of his death.
‘He had it in one of his hands and he had it at least two to three hours before his fatal hotel fall.
‘We looked for it in his hotel room and couldn’t find it.
‘The watch was searched for in the homes of the three people being investigated on suspicion of abandoning Liam and the supply and facilitation of drugs, as well as in the homes of the two female escorts who were with him in his room the afternoon he died.
‘The room is still sealed off by court order and no- one can enter.
‘Searching for the watch in the homes of the people Liam had contact with before his death was the initial priority but now another inspection will take place to see if it remains somewhere in his room.’
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline this week, Liam’s close friend Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores denied being a suspect in the 31-year-old’s death and rubbished claims police had raided his home in his native Buenos Aires.
It came as Argentinian prosecutors probing Liam’s death confirmed the arrests of three suspects who are now under formal investigation, with one being an unnamed ‘friend’ of the late pop star.
Aerial view of the hotel where British singer Liam Payne died in Buenos Aires
Liam is seen at the YouTube Music Artist Lounge at Coachella 2019 on April 12, 2019 in Indio, California
Liam had been on holiday in South America with girlfriend Kate Cassidy (left)
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.
‘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.’
He added: ‘I’m really heartbroken with this tragedy, and I’ve been missing my friend every day.’
Prosecutors said in their lengthy statement released last Thursday three men they did not identify by name were 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.’
Fans have been paying their respects to the popstar at the hotel since his tragic death
Two hotel workers as well as another individual have been arrested in relation to the star’s death (Pictured: Liam Payne in Argentina)
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
Tests have shown Liam had consumed alcohol and cocaine before he died and also had traces of an antidepressant in his system.
Prosecutors also made it clear the idea 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.’
The singer’s dad Geoff flew to Argentina two days after his son died and returned to the UK with his body last Thursday to help finalise funeral arrangements following a second visit to the makeshift shrine set up by fans outside Liam’s hotel.
The funeral is expected to take place in Liam’s home town of Wolverhampton.
