Investigation Heats Up Over Liam Payne’s Death: Friend and Hotel Employees in Spotlight

In a tragic turn of events following the death of former One Direction star Liam Payne, authorities in Argentina are ramping up their investigation, reportedly focusing on a close friend of the singer and two hotel employees.

According to TMZ, Argentinian police carried out raids on Tuesday night at the homes of these individuals and inspected their lockers at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, where Payne passed away last month.

The intensified probe includes examining text messages from Payne’s phone, which reportedly led investigators to the friend who may have supplied him with drugs. Police are scrutinizing this friend’s role, but they were not present during the recent raid.

The investigation started last month when authorities initially raided the hotel to gather evidence, including security footage and electronic devices, aiming to reconstruct Payne’s final moments. Surveillance video allegedly shows Payne on the hotel balcony before fainting and falling to his death from the third floor, sustaining severe injuries including a fractured skull.

Further complicating the case, reports reveal that Payne’s hotel room was found littered with drug paraphernalia and alcohol. Items such as an empty Dove soap packet and a burnt soda can top have led police to believe these were used to facilitate a secret drug exchange.

A toxicology report confirmed the presence of multiple substances in Payne’s system, including crack, cocaine, and “pink cocaine,” a potent recreational mix combining methamphetamine, ketamine, and MDMA.

As the investigation unfolds, Payne’s body is being flown back to the UK, with funeral arrangements set at St Paul’s Cathedral in Wolverhampton, his hometown.