An Argentine judge has confirmed charges against five individuals in connection with the death of Liam Payne, a former member of the popular musical group One Direction. The judge has ordered preventive prison for two of the accused for allegedly supplying drugs to Payne.
The judicial officer revealed that one of the individuals placed under preventive prison was an employee of the Buenos Aires hotel where Payne was staying at the time of his death. The other person facing the same charge was a waiter whom Payne had encountered at a local restaurant. Both individuals are required to present themselves before the judge to address the charges of drug supply.
In addition to the two individuals in preventive prison, the judge has charged three others with manslaughter. This includes a businessman who was in Argentina with Payne and two hotel managers. However, these three individuals were not ordered to be held under preventive prison.
Payne tragically fell from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room in the upscale Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires. The autopsy report indicated that his cause of death was multiple injuries and external bleeding.
Toxicological exams conducted on Payne's body revealed the presence of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescribed antidepressant in his system prior to his death. The autopsy findings suggested that Payne's injuries were not self-inflicted nor caused by external physical intervention. It was also noted that he did not exhibit reflexes to protect himself during the fall, indicating a possible state of unconsciousness.
Authorities in Argentina have ruled out suicide as the cause of Payne's death. One Direction, the band Payne was a part of, announced an indefinite hiatus in 2016, leading Payne and his former bandmates to pursue solo careers.
