- Five people have been linked to the death of Liam Payne on October 16.
- According to a press release from Argentina’s National Criminal and Penitentiary Prosecutor, the hotel manager, the receptionist and Payne’s friend have been charged with manslaughter
- A hotel employee and a waiter were charged with supplying Payne with drugs
Five people have been charged in Argentina in connection with the death of Liam Payne on October 16 at the CasaSur Hotel in Buenos Aires, authorities have announced.
According to a press release from Argentina’s National Penitentiary and Penitentiary Office on Monday, December 30, the hotel manager, “GAM,” his receptionist, “ERG,” and Payne’s friend, “RLN” — who the BBC reports are Gilda Martin, Esteban Grassi and Roger Nores — have been charged with manslaughter after the One Direction student fell to his death from a third-floor hotel balcony at the age of 31.
According to the prosecutor’s office, “EDP,” a hotel employee, and “BNP,” a waiter — who the BBC reports are Ezequiel Pereyra and Brian Paiz — are charged with drug supply.
Liam Payne’s ‘Haunting’ final moments remembered by hotel mates: ‘It’s etched in my brain’
According to the prosecutor’s statement, “EDP” is suspected of selling cocaine to Payne on October 15 and 16, while “BNP” is suspected of having sold cocaine to him twice on October 14.
The statement said “RLN” was charged with manslaughter after allegedly “failing to fulfill his duties of care, aid and assistance” to Payne after he “abandoned” him knowing he was suffering from “multiple addictions.” “GAM” was charged with manslaughter for allegedly failing to prevent Payne from being taken to his hotel room shortly before his death.
“ERG” was charged with manslaughter for allegedly asking three people to “drag” Payne, who could not stand on his own, into his room instead of guarding him, according to the affidavit.
According to the press release, Judge Laura Bruniard continued with the charges, which the defendants’ lawyers can appeal. However, if their appeals are not upheld, a trial will begin.
RLN, GAM and ERG face 1-5 years in prison, while EDP and BNP face 4-15 years, the statement revealed.
Representatives of Argentina’s prosecutor’s office have not yet responded to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
In a November 7 press release from Argentina’s National Criminal and Penitentiary Prosecutor’s Office, it was revealed that three suspects were arrested and charged with abandoning a person followed by death, as well as supplying and facilitating the trafficking of narcotics. At the time, authorities did not name any suspects.
According to the post, “Payne was not fully conscious or experiencing a state of marked reduction or loss of consciousness at the time of the fall.”
After the pop musician fell from the balcony and died, “unauthorized conduct was discovered, resulting in three people being charged with criminal offenses,” the statement said.
One of the suspects was “a person who accompanied the artist daily during his stay in the city of Buenos Aires.” The second suspect was a hotel employee accused of supplying Payne with cocaine, and the third was an alleged “drug supplier.”
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Liam Payne in January 2018.
Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty
3 people charged in death of Liam Payne, including hotel worker: Prosecutor
According to the statement, prosecutors attempted to “reconstruct the days Payne stayed at the CasaSur Hotel on Costa Rica Street” in Buenos Aires between October 13 and 16.
They also said in a statement that “self-harm of any kind and/or physical intervention by third parties have been ruled out” as contributing factors to his death.
In the moments before his death and for at least his last 72 hours, Payne had traces of “multiple drug use of alcohol, cocaine and a prescribed anti-depressant in his body,” according to a statement from Argentine authorities.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the SAMHSA Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education