Liam Payne: 5 People Charged in One Direction Singer’s Death

Liam Payne tragically fell to his death at an Argentina hotel in October, and now five people have been charged in connection with his death.

The BBC, citing Argentina’s prosecutor’s office, reports the hotel manager, Gilda Martin; receptionist, Esteban Grassi; and Liam’s friend Roger Nores are charged with manslaughter. 

Hotel worker Ezequiel Pereyra and waiter Braian Paiz were charged with supplying drugs.

The BBC adds that a judge has already decided to take the case to trial. The defendants can appeal the decision.

Court documents obtained by the news outlet claim that Grassi, the receptionist, asked that Payne be dragged to his hotel room and that Martin, the hotel manager, failed to stop it, noting that the balcony in the room posed a “serious threat.” 

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Payne’s friend Nores is accused of “failing to fulfill his duties of care, assistance and help,” and the docs say he “abandoned him to his luck.”

The papers state that Paiz, the waiter, sold Liam cocaine on October 14 and that Pereyra, the hotel employee, sold cocaine to the singer on October 15 and 16.

The three suspects charged with manslaughter are facing one to five years in prison. Those accused of selling drugs to Payne could be sentenced to four to 15 years behind bars.

Pereyra and Paiz were summoned to appear within 24 working hours.

According to the BBC, Paiz lawyer Fernando Madeo Facente spoke out and said he advised his client not to turn himself in, insisting he is not a flight risk.

The attorney also claimed that Liam and his client did “consume drugs,” but insisted no money was exchanged.

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The news comes after three people were arrested and charged in November in connection with the case. At the time, those suspects were not named. 

Previously, a preliminary autopsy stated that the former One Direction singer died from multiple injuries and “internal and external” hemorrhages.

The prosecutor’s office indicated that, based on the position in which the body was found and the injuries from the fall, it is presumed that Payne did not adopt a reflexive posture to protect himself and may have fallen in a state of semi or total unconsciousness.”

A toxicology report from the partial autopsy showed multiple drugs in Payne’s system, including pink cocaine. The drug cocktail is reportedly a combination of methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA, cocaine, benzodiazepine, crack, and other substances.