Five individuals have been charged in connection with the death of former One Direction singer Liam Payne, who passed away on October 16, 2024, after falling from a third-floor balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The accused include hotel employees and associates of Payne:
- Manslaughter Charges:
- Gilda Martín: Hotel manager.
- Esteban Grassi: Receptionist.
- Roger Nores: Payne's friend and local businessman.
These individuals are charged with negligent homicide, accused of failing in their duty of care towards Payne, who was found to have alcohol, cocaine, and antidepressants in his system at the time of his death.
- Drug Supply Charges:
- Braian Paiz: Waiter.
- Ezequiel Pereyra: Hotel employee.
They are accused of supplying cocaine to Payne shortly before his death.
The investigation revealed that Payne was in a severely altered state, unable to stand or care for himself, shortly before his death. Criticism has been directed at the decision to take Payne to his room instead of seeking medical assistance, leading to what has been described as a "foreseeable" accident.
The accused individuals have been summoned to court, with those charged with manslaughter barred from leaving the country. If convicted, sentences could range from 1-5 years for manslaughter charges and 4-15 years for drug supply charges.