Five people charged over Liam Payne's hotel plunge death including staff members
30 December 2024, 14:00 | Updated: 30 December 2024, 14:46
Five people have been charged in connection with the death of Liam Payne.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The 31-year-old former One Direction singer died in October after falling from the third floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires.
The hotel's manager, Gilda Martin, and its receptionist, Esteban Grassi, as well as Payne's friend Roger Nores have all been charged with manslaughter, Argentina's prosecutor's office says.
In addition, Ezequiel Pereyra who worked at the hotel, and Braian Paiz, a waiter, have been charged with supplying drugs.
Judge Bruniard said that she did not think that Liam Payne's friend, the hotel manager and the receptionist "had planned or wanted the death of Payne" but that their actions had created a "risk" to his life.
If the three of them are found guilty they could be sentenced for between one and five years in prison.
Read More: Biden, Trump and Obama lead tributes to former US President Jimmy Carter following death, aged 100
The sentence for supplying drugs is more severe and ranges between four and 15 years in jail.
Judge Bruniard has ordered the two accused of supplying the drugs be remanded in custody.
They have been summoned to appear in court within 24 working hours.
In Argentina's legal system, the prosecutor's office gathers evidence and this is then given to the judge, who decides whether to proceed to trial.
In a statement released by the prosecutor's office, Judge Laura Bruniard took the decision to progress to the next stage on Friday.
The defendants' lawyers can appeal against that decision.
If their appeals are not successful, the trial phase starts.
The charges against each of the suspects have been listed in court documents, alongside their initials.
The hotel employee EDP is suspected of having sold Liam Payne cocaine on 15 and 16 October.
Waiter BNP is also suspected of having sold cocaine to Liam Payne twice on 14 October.
Payne's friend RLN is suspected of manslaughter for allegedly "failing to fulfil his duties of care, assistance and help" towards the singer after having "abandoned him to his luck knowing that he was incapable of fending for himself and knowing that he [Payne] suffered from multiple addictions".
Hotel Manager GAM is suspected of manslaughter for allegedly failing to stop Payne from being taken to his hotel room moments before his death.
The court papers also said that due to Payne's state, the room's balcony was a "serious threat" and the manager should have made sure he was able to access a safe place until medical help was on the scene.
Chief receptionist ERG is also suspected of manslaughter for supposedly questioning three people to "drag" Payne, who was unable to stand, to his room, as opposed to ensuring his safety.
The singer's funeral was held in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, last month.
