Two months following the tragic demise of singer Liam Payne, an Argentinian judge has confirmed charges against five individuals implicated in the case. Two of the accused are reportedly being held in pre-trial detention for allegedly supplying Payne with drugs, according to the Associated Press.
Payne, formerly of One Direction, passed away on October 16th at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires. The official cause of death was determined to be the result of a fall from his third-floor balcony. A hotel employee had contacted emergency services reporting a guest, later identified as Payne, exhibiting signs of intoxication and causing damage to the room.
One of the individuals in custody is a hotel employee, while the other is a waiter whom Payne allegedly met at a restaurant. Both are facing drug supply charges. Three other individuals, including two hotel managers and a businessman who accompanied Payne to Argentina, have been charged with manslaughter.
The investigation included extensive review of security footage, Payne's cell phone records, and numerous interviews with hotel staff, family, friends, and medical professionals. Prosecutors assert that evidence points to at least four instances of narcotics being delivered to Payne at the hotel during his stay.
Preliminary toxicology reports indicated the presence of cocaine in Payne's system, though final results are still pending. Authorities have ruled out suicide. A preliminary autopsy cited “polytrauma” and internal and external hemorrhaging as the immediate cause of death.
Payne is survived by his 7-year-old son, Bear, whom he shared with his former partner, Cheryl Cole.
