Three men charged Investigators: One Direction star Liam Payne's balcony fall was not suicide

The former singer of British boyband One Direction fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. According to the public prosecutor's office, he was intoxicated - and incapable of any "conscious action".

Keystone-SDA

08.11.2024, 04:11

08.11.2024, 04:12

SDA

Investigators are convinced that the fatal fall of former One Direction singer Liam Payne from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires was not a suicide. A "conscious act" by the singer can be ruled out, as he was not fully conscious due to his drug consumption, the public prosecutor's office announced. When the 31-year-old fell from the balcony a good three weeks ago, he was neither aware of what he was doing nor able to understand the consequences of his actions due to his condition.

According to the public prosecutor's office, forensic examinations revealed traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in Payne's body. There was no mention of other substances.

One Direction star falls from balconyWhat is known so far about the death of Liam Payne

Three men charged

Three men have now been charged in connection with Payne's death. They are alleged to have supplied him with drugs, among other things, according to the public prosecutor's office. The judge in charge informed the accused of the charges and banned them from leaving Argentina.

One of the accused is said to be a hotel employee. The other is said to have been a friend and Payne's constant companion in Buenos Aires. He is accused of abandoning Payne in a helpless situation and thus being partly to blame. The public prosecutor's office did not comment on the identity of the third defendant - according to media reports, it is a cleaner who worked in the hotel.

The ex-singer of the British boy band One Direction fell from a balcony on the third floor of the hotel on October 16. According to earlier statements by the public prosecutor's office, Payne may have been going through a crisis due to the consumption of drugs and alcohol. The musician had not reflexively tried to protect himself, the investigators had previously stated. It can therefore be assumed that he was partially or completely unconscious when he fell.

The singer's body was handed over to Payne's father last weekend with the permission of the judiciary, as the public prosecutor's office has now announced. According to the Argentinian newspaper "Clarin", it has since been transferred to London.