Geoff Payne, the father of the late One Direction singer Liam Payne, arrived at the CasaSur Hotel in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 18 to collect his son’s belongings. The 31-year-old singer passed away at the hotel after reportedly falling from the balcony of his third floor room on October 16.
After Payne’s father arrived at the hotel, several fans were seen confronting paparazzi to protect Geoff Payne’s privacy. The singer’s fans held up their joined hands to block photographers from clicking pictures as he entered the hotel. Clips of the incident went viral online.
Geoff Payne was photographed at the Buenos Aires International Airport in the early hours of October 18. As per Argentine authorities, he first visited the Buenos Aires morgue to identify his son’s body. Following this, he visited the local prosecutor’s office, which is investigating the case of his son’s death, as a part of protocol.
The deceased singer’s father made arrangements to bring his son’s remains back to the UK before stopping by the CasaSur hotel to collect Liam Payne’s remaining belongings. Outside the hotel, he stopped for a while for the crowd of fans and thanked them for their love before picking up one of his son’s photos.
Geoff Payne’s appearance in the Argentine capital marks the first time a family member of Liam Payne has been seen publicly since the singer’s death. Following his death, the singer’s family released a statement expressing their heartbreak.
“Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time,” the statement said.
Since Liam Payne’s death, the music world has been in shock, with messages pouring in from various artists, including his former bandmates, Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson.
Argentine prosecutors allege Liam Payne was under the effects of drugs and alcohol in his final hours
According to Argentine prosecutors, Liam Payne was reportedly under the effects of drugs and alcohol in the final hours leading up to his death. The prosecutors quoted investigators who reportedly found Payne’s hotel room in a mess with alcohol and narcotics lying all over alongside multiple broken objects.
As per BBC, a bottle of whiskey, a passport, a mobile phone, and a lighter were found. Authorities also found the anxiety drug Clonazepam and other over-the-counter medications.
Payne’s autopsy report indicated that the singer died from injuries sustained in his fall from the third floor, which caused “internal and external hemorrhaging” in his skull, chest, limbs, and abdomen. The toxicology reports are still pending, but a preliminary report noted Payne had 25 injuries that were considered “consistent with a fall from a great height.”
Investigators believe Liam Payne was alone at the time of his death and reportedly do not suspect the involvement of any other person. They cited the lack of any defensive wounds in Payne’s body, alleging the singer did not try to protect himself from falling.
It remains unclear whether the One Direction singer accidentally fell or jumped from the balcony. The prosecutors’ report also noted Payne could have fallen during a state of semi-consciousness or unconsciousness.
According to BBC, Liam Payne was in Argentina to attend his former bandmate Niall Horan’s concert, which took place on October 2. Fans spotted the singer with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, at the show. The publication also reported that Payne visited a friend’s house in Argentina a couple of days before his death with Cassidy. At the time of Payne’s death, his girlfriend had already left the country.
On October 16, staff at the CasaSur hotel reportedly called the police at around 5 pm local time to seek assistance about a hotel guest who was “overwhelmed by drugs and alcohol” and “destroying his room.” The hotel’s front desk manager reportedly told the police:
“I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger. But he has a room with a balcony and we’re a little afraid that he might do something life-threatening.”
Liam Payne is believed to have fallen from his third floor hotel room balcony (from around 45 ft height) at 5:17 pm local time. Staff reportedly heard a “loud sound” in the courtyard, where police found Payne’s body. He was declared dead on the spot, with emergency services stating that there was “no possibility of resuscitation.”
Authorities have seized Payne’s phone and laptop, which could provide evidence. They also interviewed five witnesses, including three members of the hotel staff and two women who were reportedly with him prior to his death. However, the two women are believed to have left the hotel before the incident occurred.
Liam Payne is survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his seven-year-old son, Bear, whom he shared with his ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole.
Edited by Shubham Soni
