Toxicology tests have shown that former One Direction member Liam Payne took cocaine and other drugs before falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Argentina on October 16.
According to ABC News , investigators found a variety of substances including cocaine, crack (a type of drug) and benzodiazepine sedatives in the 31-year-old singer’s body. Sources said that Liam Payne used “pink cocaine” – a recreational drug that often mixes methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA and many other types of drugs, causing hallucinations.
A spokesman for the Buenos Aires police departmen
t confirmed to the New York Times that the toxicology report has been forwarded to prosecutors for further investigation into the singer’s death.
Singer Liam Payne. Photo: AFP
In a press release issued on October 17, investigators said they found several substances in Liam’s hotel room that “preliminarily appeared to be drugs and alcohol” and were taken away for analysis. Several photos were released of the room, showing scattered white powder, drug paraphernalia, and scattered furniture, including a smashed TV.
Local authorities previously told TMZ they believe the British star had taken a stimulant that caused him to experience euphoria, depression and agitation.
Police have questioned five people who were in Liam’s room before his death, including three hotel staff and two women, to determine whether a third party was involved. However, they all left before Liam fell from the balcony. The two women said they had been drinking with Liam but that he was in a normal state at the time.
An autopsy found that Liam Payne died from severe injuries sustained in the fall, with no evidence of third-party involvement. Given the manner of his fall, prosecutors also said the singer had no reflexes to defend himself and may have been semi-conscious or unconscious before the fall.
The For You singer has been open about his past struggles with drugs. In 2023, he completed 100 days of rehab in Louisiana, USA. In a YouTube video posted last July, he said: “I really needed to take some time for myself because I had become someone I didn’t even recognize anymore.”
Liam Payne and girlfriend, Kate Cassidy. Photo: Splash
Liam Payne traveled to Argentina in late September with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, to attend a concert by his friend Niall Horan of One Direction on October 2. The two then stayed there to relax, sharing many videos on social media. On October 14, Kate returned to the US while Liam stayed behind. He passed away just two days later.
