Liam Payne's final hours revealed as five people charged for hotel plunge death
30 December 2024, 19:17 | Updated: 30 December 2024, 20:30
Liam Payne's final hours have been outlined by a judge, who explained that the former One Direction star was "unable to stand" before falling from a hotel balcony.
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Judge Laura Bruniard said he should have been left in a safe place.
But instead he was put at risk when taken to his room, having binged on booze and drugs.
She came to the conclusion that he fell to his death having clambered over the balcony, suggesting he was trying to escape.
It comes as five people have been charged in connection with the death of the 31-year-old.
The 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, according to Argentina's prosecutor's office.
In addition, Ezequiel Pereyra who worked at the hotel, and Braian Paiz, a waiter, have been charged with supplying drugs.
Judge Bruniard, said Nores "is responsible for the crime of negligent homicide as the perpetrator given that he had assumed a position of guarantor in front of the family of the deceased".
It is claimed there is footage showing US citizen Nores was in the hotel around 50 minutes before Payne's death, and the judge said he "should have consulted a doctor" and "should have done this without relying on what the hotel employees could do".
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.
Prosecutors also claim Martin and Grassi saw Payne under the influence in the lobby, but did not provide medical help.
Judge Bruniard said that on the day of Payne's death he "was unable to care for himself" and footage shows he was unconscious and being dragged "by three people".
"The way he was being handled shows a state of vulnerability," the judge said, adding that Payne being taken to his room was a "risk to his life".
"Payne's consciousness was altered and there was a balcony in the room," she added.
"The proper thing to do was to leave him in a safe place and with company until a doctor arrived."
She added that she does not think Martin and Grassi acted "maliciously", but were "imprudent in allowing him to be taken to the room and taking him there respectively".
Concluding, the judge said Nores, Martin and Grassi "contributed, although not in a planned manner, to creating a risk that resulted in Payne's death, whether by action or omission".
Pereyra is accused of supplying cocaine to Payne in the early hours of October 15 and 16.
Paiz allegedly supplied cocaine on two occasions on October 14, with one transaction claimed to have happened at the defendant's home in Buenos Aires.
He allegedly told prosecutors this was not in exchange for money, and he wanted to "spend time" with Payne.
However, prosecutors claim cocaine was supplied "for money", based on footage in the hotel, witness statements and messages.
If the three of them are found guilty they could be sentenced for between one and five years in prison.
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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.
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 died of multiple traumas and "internal and external haemorrhage", a post-mortem examination report said.
According to prosecutors, "self-harm" was ruled out and no injuries were observed that would suggest the intervention of third parties.
It was concluded that Payne was "not fully conscious or was experiencing a state of noticeable decrease or loss of consciousness at the time of the fall".
Police found substances in his hotel room, and destroyed objects and furniture, prosecutors said.
Staff at the hotel made two calls to emergency services, and audio disclosed they had asked for assistance for a guest who was "intoxicated by drugs and alcohol".
Payne's funeral in November in Buckinghamshire was attended by Cheryl Tweedy, the mother of his son Bear, and fellow One Direction stars Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, along with his family and friends.
Fans around the world mourned the late Wolverhampton-born singer, and Rita Ora paid a tearful tribute to him at the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) in Manchester.
After his band went on hiatus he launched a successful solo career, releasing his debut solo album LP1 in December 2019, which included the songs Polaroid and Strip That Down featuring Quavo, and the track For You with Ora.
