A friend of Liam Payne and two hotel employees are reportedly being investigated over the singer’s death.
According to TMZ, Argentinian police conducted another round of raids on the homes of the hotel workers and the unidentified pal of the former One Direction musician on Tuesday night.
The authorities also searched the hotel lockers of the employees and reviewed security footage from the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires where Payne died last month.
The outlet reported that cops believe the workers contacted the “Night Changes” singer before he fell to his death from his third-story hotel balcony.
Investigators reportedly used text messages from Payne’s cell phone to identify the “friend” who may have sold him drugs, as well.
However, the “friend” was not at home during the raid.
Last month, the Argentinian authorities raided the hotel to “obtain elements of interest for the investigation,” a police source told Argentinian newspaper LA NACION.
A second source said these elements of interest included “documents and videos” from the lobby and courtyard so investigators could piece together Payne’s final moments before his death.
They also acquired the hotel’s computers, phones and other devices.
Payne died on Oct. 16 after falling from his third-floor hotel room balcony. He was 31.
Buenos Aires police said in a statement that the ex-boy band member’s fall resulted in “extremely serious injuries.”
Buenos Aires medical services director Alberto Crescenti also detailed that the pop star suffered from a fractured skull.
Following his death, authorities discovered that Payne’s hotel room was filled with drug paraphernalia and alcohol.
There was also an empty Dove soap packet, a burning candle, a burnt soda can top and a piece of aluminum foil on the desk in his room.
Police believe the Dove carton was used to “secretly hand off” illegal substances to Payne.
A toxicology report revealed that he had multiple drugs in his system, including crack, cocaine and “pink cocaine,” a recreational drug that typically mixes methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA and others.
Amid the investigation, authorities uncovered security footage from the hotel that showed Payne had been in the balcony area when he fainted and fell to his death.
The “X Factor” alum’s body is reportedly being flown back to the United Kingdom and his funeral is set to take place this at St Paul’s Cathedral in Wolverhampton, the city where he grew up.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
Read the full article here
