Credit: Alamy
Liam Payne’s Autopsy Uncovers Tragic Twist In One Direction Star’s Final Moments
Liam Payne’s autopsy has uncovered a tragic twist in the former One Direction star’s final moments.
The English singer-songwriter gained global fame after his appearance on The X Factor and as a member of One Direction alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan.
After the band’s hiatus, Payne pursued a solo career, signing with Republic Records and debuting his first single, ‘Strip That Down,’ in 2017.
The world was left reeling when, on October 16, 2024, it was confirmed that the 31-year-old had died after falling from the third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Now, Payne’s autopsy has shed further light on his tragic death and his last moments.
Payne died after falling from the third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires.
The singer was visiting his former bandmate, Horan, who was in the country on tour.
He had posted about their catch-up on Snapchat, saying: “It’s been a while since me and Niall have spoken, we’ve got a lot to talk about,” adding: “No bad vibes or anything like that, but we need to talk.”
Payne posted videos of himself and his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, singing and dancing at Horan’s show.
The 31-year-old had been staying at the Casa Sur hotel for three days before his death.
Two days before his passing, his girlfriend had traveled back to her home in Miami, Florida, per The Independent. She claimed the couple had originally planned to stay in Argentina for five days, but that the trip had been extended.
Guests told The Guardian they heard banging and shouting for hours before Payne fell.
“I thought they were doing construction… it was loud, bizarre,” guest Doug Jones said.
“Later I heard the sirens, thinking perhaps there was a fire somewhere. And then I heard a very loud scream.”
Emergency services responded to a hotel manager’s call about an ‘aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.’ This 911 call was made shortly before Payne’s death.
The hotel employee told the operator that emergency responders were needed ‘urgently,’ noting that the hotel room had a balcony.
“We need you to send us someone urgently because, well, we don’t know if the guest’s life is at risk,” they said, per The Independent. “He is in a room that has a balcony. And well, we’re a bit afraid that he does something that could put his life at risk.”
Despite their quick response, Payne was pronounced dead shortly after the 911 call was placed at 5:01 p.m. local time.
Alberto Crescenti, head of the local emergency services, told Buenos Aires Times ‘there was no possibility’ that first responders could have saved the 31-year-old’s life, as he had ‘very serious injuries.’
He stated that Payne fell approximately 13 to 14 meters, suffering injuries that were ‘incompatible with life.’
Details from the autopsy indicated that the singer did not attempt to break his fall from the balcony, suggesting he may have been unconscious before the 40-foot drop.
He ‘did not adopt a reflexive posture to protect himself in the fall, so that, for the moment, it can be inferred that he may have fallen in a state of semi – or total unconsciousness,’ according to the report, via Daily Record.
Buenos Aires police later found Payne’s hotel room ‘in complete disarray,’ with packs of clonazepam, energy supplements, and other over-the-counter drugs scattered around.
Additionally, police discovered broken items, a whiskey bottle, a lighter, and the singer’s cell phone in the hotel courtyard where his body was found.
A UK inquest into Payne’s cause of death confirmed that he died from ‘polytrauma,’ which is a term for multiple traumatic injuries sustained to a person’s body and organ systems.
The prosecutor’s office in Argentina said toxicology tests reveal traces of alcohol, coc***ne, and a prescription antidepressant, per the BBC.
A postmortem examination ruled his cause of death as ‘multiple trauma’ and ‘internal and external haemorrhage,’ resulting from the hotel balcony fall.
According to the prosecutor’s office, medical reports also suggested the singer may have been in a state of semi or total unconsciousness.
This ruled out the possibility of a conscious or voluntary act by Payne, concluding that the 31-year-old did not know what he was doing or have any comprehension of his actions.
Payne is survived by his son, Bear Grey Payne, from his previous relationship with Cheryl Tweedy. He also leaves behind his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two sisters, Ruth and Nicola.
Related Article: One Direction’s Liam Payne Shared Haunting Final Post Just Minutes Before His Death
Related Article: Liam Payne’s Heartbreaking Confession To Hotel Guest Just Minutes Before His Death
Want more stuff like this?
Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox!
