Two months after the tragic death of Liam Payne, the investigation into his fatal fall at a Buenos Aires hotel continues to unfold. Newly obtained documents from *Rolling Stone* reveal that a judge has formally charged two hotel employees, including the head receptionist who made the 911 call, as part of the ongoing inquiry. The judge has also summoned all suspects for questioning in connection with the case.
According to a filing released on Monday, the CasaSur Palermo hotel manager and the head receptionist have been labeled as “imputados,” or individuals charged in the case. While the exact charges remain unclear, the document specifies that both individuals must be informed of their accusations.
The filing states, “Since there is sufficient reason to suspect that they have participated in the investigated act, we ask that the following people give a statement,” followed by a list of those involved in the case.
Interrogations are scheduled to take place in mid-December. Two individuals accused of supplying Payne with drugs will be questioned on Dec. 17, while Payne’s friend, who faces accusations of abandonment of a person leading to death, will testify on Dec. 18. The two hotel employees are set to appear in court on Dec. 19. Under Buenos Aires law, suspects can choose to remain silent through their legal representatives. After the interrogations, the judge will decide whether to proceed with charges, drop the case, or determine that there is insufficient evidence for further action.
As of Tuesday, the head receptionist remains employed at the CasaSur hotel. He made two 911 calls on the night of Payne’s death, Oct. 16. In the first call, he reported that a guest had consumed “too many drugs and alcohol” and was “trashing the entire room.” In the second call, he expressed concern that the guest’s life “may be in danger.” During the second call, the receptionist asked if police would also be dispatched alongside SAME, Argentina’s emergency medical services. When informed that police would accompany the medical team, he responded, “No, no, just the SAME. Just the SAME.”
Payne died after falling from the third floor of the CasaSur hotel in Palermo Hollywood. His injuries included multiple traumas, internal and external bleeding, and a severe cranial injury. Three individuals—a friend of Payne, a hotel employee, and an alleged drug dealer—are under investigation in relation to his death.
This latest development follows allegations of misconduct in the case. An attorney for Payne’s friend recently accused prosecutors of “serious irregularities,” claiming they failed to review footage from a nearby camera that captured the area where Payne fell. The attorney also alleged that the prosecutor met privately with the hotel restaurant manager, who had access to the footage. “Given everything shown, it’s clear that there has not been a serious, profound, nor, at least until now, a thorough investigation,” the filing stated.
Weeks after Payne’s death, a toxicology report revealed the presence of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescribed antidepressant in his system at the time of the incident.
Payne was laid to rest at a private funeral attended by his One Direction bandmates, his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, and his parents. Earlier this week, Cassidy shared a heartfelt 90-second TikTok tribute to Payne, captioned, “I love you.”
Source: rollingstone.com