Liam Payne, 31, plunged to his death from a balcony of the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires on Wednesday night and cops are now investigating whether he took a powerful drug called Cristal
Liam Payne is suspected to have been under the influence of a drug that can trigger psychotic episodes and hallucinations at the time of his death, police investigators suggest. The singer met his tragic end after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur hotel on Wednesday night.
The 31 year old former One Direction member was reportedly behaving ‘erratically’ just hours before the fatal incident. Buenos Aires police are now probing the possibility that Liam was high on a powerful substance known as Cristal, which is associated with causing severe mood swings and aggression in users.
Law enforcement sources informed TMZ that Liam’s actions seemed typical of someone on Cristal, although they haven’t confirmed its presence in his room. The comprehensive results of tests on drugs and medications found are still pending.
Images taken inside Liam’s hotel suite revealed remnants of white powder, tin foil, and a broken TV screen. Authorities have yet to make any statements or provide concrete evidence to confirm or deny these speculative reports.
The preliminary postmortem examination conducted on Wednesday night indicated that Liam had suffered multiple trauma injuries, including a skull fracture, leading to “internal and external haemorrhaging”, reports the Mirror.
A transcript of a 911 call made by hotel personnel disclosed the hotel manager informing emergency operators: “We have a guest who’s off his head on drugs and is destroying everything in his room. We need someone to come.”
The manager urgently called back, voicing serious concerns for the guest’s safety due to the balcony in Liam’s room. The worried manager said: “We need you to send someone urgently because, well, I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger. They must be in a room that has a balcony. And well, we’re a little bit worried he’ll do something, that he’ll put his life at risk.”
Local media have reported that the drug Clonazepam, which treats seizures or fits from epilepsy and panic attacks, was taken from Liam’s hotel room.
Following the death of former One Direction singer Liam , his devastated father Geoff Payne arrived in Buenos Aires. He was snapped in a navy suit leaving the Casa Sur Hotel, where the 31 year old fell from a third-floor balcony on Wednesday.
According to the Associated Press, Mr Payne is in Argentina to arrange the transfer of his son’s remains back home. A BBC video captured Mr Payne visiting the memorials set up by fans outside the hotel, where he took time to read letters and observe flowers, photos, and candles left in tribute.
The Payne family expressed they were “heartbroken” over Liam’s death, stating: “Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.”
Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy has spoken out about the need to protect her seven year-old son she shares with Liam, following their well-known romance from 2016 to 2018. “As I try to navigate this earth shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I’d like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being,” she penned in an emotional Instagram post.
Alongside a touching black and white photo of Payne cuddling up with his young son Bear, she continued: “Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our 7 year old son. A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.”
The 41 year old finished her message by pleading for people to allow Payne “the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last”.
Following the tragic death of Payne, his girlfriend Kate Cassidy expressed her deep sorrow and disbelief. She shared on her Instagram story that she was at a “complete loss”, adding: “Nothing about the past few days have felt real,” and “Liam, my angel, you are everything. I want you to know I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life. I love you Liam.”
Music mogul Simon Cowell also expressed his devastation over the singer’s death, stating he felt “truly devastated”, “heartbroken” and “empty”.
Payne rose to fame alongside Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Harry Styles when The X Factor creator Cowell formed One Direction on the ITV talent show in 2010. Cowell paid tribute to Payne on Instagram, writing: “Every tear I have shed is a memory of you,” and added that his son Bear “will be so proud of everything you achieved, and how you achieved it”.
Payne first auditioned for The X Factor in 2008 at the age of 14, singing Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me To The Moon, with judge Cowell advising him to return two years later. In 2010, he wowed the judges with a performance of Michael Buble’s Cry Me A River before being grouped with four other solo hopefuls at the boot camp stage – this group would later become One Direction.
Simon Cowell paid an emotional tribute to Payne, recalling the moment he first met the young singer. “I had to tell you when you were 14 that this wasn’t your time. And we both made a promise that we would meet again. A lot of people would have given up. You didn’t,” Cowell said.
He also shared a heartwarming memory of Payne visiting him last year, where they reminisced about old times. “After you left, I was reminded that you were still the sweet, kind boy I had met all of those years ago,” Cowell added.
Payne’s bandmate, Niall Horan, also shared a touching tribute, saying he will “cherish every moment” he had with Payne “forever”. Horan had recently seen Payne at his show in Argentina, where Payne was spotted dancing with his girlfriend.
“I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently. I sadly didn’t know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It’s heartbreaking,” Horan wrote. The other band members also paid separate emotional tributes on social media, while a joint statement from the band said they were “completely devastated” and will miss Payne “terribly”, adding that the “memories we shared with him will be treasured forever”.
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