That latter drug wasn’t mentioned in the official autopsy report released this week by prosecutor Andrés Madrea. Instead, the report revealed “traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescribed antidepressant.” His death, Madrea says, was a result of “multiple trauma” and “internal and external hemorrhage” from the three-floor fall.
According to Madrea, officials do not believe that Payne’s death was intentional. As the singer “did not adopt a reflex posture” as one does instinctively even during a purposeful jump, “it can be inferred that he may have fallen in a state of semi or total unconsciousness.”
“Three supplementary medical-legal reports confirmed that all injuries were consistent with a high fall, ruling out self-harm or third-party involvement,” Madrea’s statement read. “In light of this, forensic psychiatry experts were consulted to determine whether Payne may have been in a diminished or unconscious state at the time of the fall, which the prosecutor believes negates the possibility of voluntary action on his part.”
After an investigation that included analysis of over 800 hours of security video from cameras inside and near the hotel, an inspection of the contents of Payne’s cell phone, and interviews with “several dozen” people including hotel staff and Payne’s friends and family, three people were arrested and charged with “the crimes of abandonment of a person followed by death” as well as “supply and facilitation of narcotics,” Madrea says.
Those suspects weren’t named, but according to Madrea, one was a hotel worker who twice obtained cocaine for Payne, a second is someone who provided Payne with drugs twice on October 14, and a third is someone who was with Payne “daily” during his Buenos Aires visit.
Rogelio “Roger” Nores, an investment company founder who reportedly grew close to Payne after meeting him at a party in 2020, has said via statement that though he was traveling with Payne at the time of his death, that latter person isn’t him. “I never abandoned Liam,” the Argentine millionaire told the Daily Mail. “I went to his hotel three times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened. There were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left. I could have never imagined something like this would happen.”
“I’ve given my statement to the prosecutor on October 17 as a witness and I haven’t spoken to any police officer or prosecutor ever since,” he said. “I wasn’t Liam’s manager he was just my very dear friend.”
On Wednesday, Payne’s body was flown back to the UK, where it was released to his family, the BBC reports. The Sun reports that a date for his funeral has been set, but details on a plan for his memorial have yet to be publicly announced.
