One Direction

Liam Payne's friend, hotel workers have charges dropped in singer's death: Reports

Author: Taijuan Moorman, KiMi Robinson Source: USA Today
February 20, 2025 at 13:16
Musician Liam Payne attends Q102's Jingle Ball 2017 Presented by Capital One at Wells Fargo Center on Dec. 6, 2017, in Philadelphia. Michael Loccisano, Getty Images For IHeartMedia
Musician Liam Payne attends Q102's Jingle Ball 2017 Presented by Capital One at Wells Fargo Center on Dec. 6, 2017, in Philadelphia. Michael Loccisano, Getty Images For IHeartMedia

Charges against three people linked to the death of One Direction singer Liam Payne have reportedly been dropped.

The charges against Payne's friend Roger Nores, along with two hotel employees, have been dropped following an Argentina Court of Appeals ruling on Wednesday, according to BBC and Rolling Stone. Two hotel employees alleged to have supplied Payne with drugs are still facing prosecution and a possible trial, the outlets report.

Payne, 31, died in October after falling from a Buenos Aires, Argentina, hotel balconyToxicology testing previously found Payne had traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his system in the 72 hours before his death.

USA TODAY has reached out to Argentine authorities and Payne's reps for comment.

Musician Liam Payne attends Q102's Jingle Ball 2017 Presented by Capital One at Wells Fargo Center on Dec. 6, 2017, in Philadelphia.
Musician Liam Payne attends Q102's Jingle Ball 2017 Presented by Capital One at Wells Fargo Center on Dec. 6, 2017, in Philadelphia.
Michael Loccisano, Getty Images For IHeartMedia

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"Glad this is finally over," Nores, an American who was previously barred from leaving Argentina during the legal process, told the outlet. "I'm happy I'm now going to be able to travel to the U.K. and say goodbye to my friend."

Nores is currently suing the singer's father for alleged defamation, claiming Geoff Payne shared "false" and "misleading" information with Argentine prosecutors in the death investigation of Liam.

Argentine prosecutors announced in December that they had begun charging people in connection to the pop star's death. Three people had been charged with negligent homicide, or unintentional manslaughter, and two had been charged with supplying drugs.

Prosecutor Andrés Esteban Madrea, head of the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office in Argentina, previously told USA TODAY in a statement that at least four narcotics deliveries were supplied to the singer in the days before his death.

BBC and Sky News identified the waiter as Braian Paiz, who allegedly supplied cocaine twice on Oct. 14, while another hotel employee, identified as Ezequiel Pereyra, allegedly supplied the One Direction star with cocaine on Oct. 15 and 16. Payne died on Oct. 16.

 


 

Liam Payne performs during the TAB Everest Race Day at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Oct. 13, 2018, in Sydney.
Liam Payne performs during the TAB Everest Race Day at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Oct. 13, 2018, in Sydney. Hanna Lassen, Getty Images For The ATC

 

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Argentine investigators ruled out the possibility that the fall was voluntary early on and believe Payne was in a state of partial or full unconsciousness at the time of his fall. In November, authorities ruled the musician died from 25 injuries from his fall, resulting in "polytrauma" and "internal and external hemorrhage."

Contributing: Kylie Madry, Reuters

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