Liam Payne's Tragic Death: What to Know About the One Direction Alum's Fatal Fall

One Direction could light up the world like nobody else.

So when fans learned that former band member Liam Payne died at age 31, many felt lost in the dark about what had happened.

The “Stack It Up” singer from Wolverhampton, England suffered a fatal fall from the balcony of a third-floor hotel room in Argentina on Oct. 16, according to a release from the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No. 14. that was shared the next day.

The release noted the incident occurred at 5:07 p.m. local time and that “minutes earlier” an employee at the CasaSur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires—where Payne had been staying—"called the 911 emergency line to ask for help for a guest who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol and had destroyed some objects in the room.”

"We have a guest who is overindulged in drugs and alcohol," the caller said in audio obtained by Telemundo from local media in Argentina and translated by NBC News. "Well, when he is conscious he breaks. He is breaking the whole room. Well, we need you to send someone, please."

Though the name of the guest was not mentioned on the call, the staff member stressed help was needed right away.

"We need someone to be sent to us urgently, because—well, I don't know if he is at risk," the employee added. "The guest is in a room that has a balcony and we are a little afraid that he might do something life-threatening."

When el Sistema de Atención Médica de Emergencias (SAME) and police officers arrived at the scene, the release continued, “Payne had already fallen from the balcony of his room and died on the spot due to the severity of his injuries.”

Those injuries, according to an autopsy cited in the release, included “polytrauma” as well as “internal and external hemorrhages” in the skull, thorax, abdomen and limbs. The release also noted that “no defensive injuries were found” and that “no injuries were observed that would suggest the intervention of third parties.” 

However, questions still remain, including about the state Payne may have been in prior to his fall.

“The prosecution said that, given the position in which the body was left and the injuries from the fall,” the release read, “it is presumed that Payne did not adopt a reflex posture to protect himself and that he could have fallen into a state of semi- or total unconsciousness.”

While the release stated police searched the room and found substances that appear to be narcotics and alcoholic beverages, it noted this was pending confirmation. In addition, the release said medical examiners requested histopathological, biochemical and toxicological studies. Those results have yet to be fully revealed.

However, an official with direct knowledge of the situation told The New York Times that a preliminary toxicology report showed Payne had drugs in his system at the time of his death. The outlet noted that the final toxicology results are still pending.

After learning of Payne’s death, several family members, friends, fans and stars mourned the loss—including his One Direction bandmates Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Harry Styles and Zayn Malik who said they were “completely devastated” by the news.

"The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever," the group wrote in part of a joint Instagram statement Oct. 17, with the four singers also releasing their own individual tributes. "For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam."

As fans continue to seek answers, read what we know about the events surrounding Payne’s death so far.

Liam Payne died in Argentina on Oct. 16, 2024, el Sistema de Atención Médica de Emergencias (SAME) confirmed to Telemundo. He was 31 years old.

The singer suffered a fatal fall "from the balcony of the third-floor room of the hotel in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo where he was staying," according to an Oct. 17 release from the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office No. 14 translated from Spanish to English.

An autopsy was performed, the release continued, and determined Payne died of "multiple trauma" and "internal and external hemorrhage" as a result of the fall.

While the release said that, "as a matter of protocol, the circumstances of the case are being investigated as a 'doubtful death,'"—meaning there was no conclusive information about the cause of death, per NBC News—it noted that "everything indicates the musician was alone when the fall occurred, and was going through some kind of outbreak due to substance abuse."

Payne has spoken about his battle with sobriety in the past, sharing in a July 2023 YouTube video that he'd attended treatment for about 100 days and that he hadn't had a drink in about six months.

According to the release, coroners reported 25 injuries in Payne's autopsy that were "compatible with those caused by a fall from height."

"They also pointed out that the head injuries were sufficient to cause death," the release continued, "while the internal and external hemorrhages in the skull, thorax, abdomen and limbs contributed to the mechanism of death."

In addition, the release said forensic experts found "no defensive injuries" after examining the One Direction alum and that "no injuries were observed that would suggest the intervention of third parties."

Still, questions remain—including about the state Payne may have been in at the time of his fall.

"The prosecution said that, given the position in which the body was left and the injuries from the fall," the release added, "it is presumed that Payne did not adopt a reflex posture to protect himself and that he could have fallen into a state of semi- or total unconsciousness."

As medical examiners seek more answers, the release noted, they've requested histopathological, biochemical and toxicological studies.

"At this point," the release read, "the analysis of the stomach contents, alcohol and toxins in the blood, vitreous humor, bile, nasal swab and urine for the determination of alcohol and toxins was required."

While a full toxicology report has yet to be released, a preliminary report revealed Payne had drugs in his system at his time of death, an official with direct knowledge told The New York Times.

Based on prosecutors' reconstruction, the release said, it appears Payne fell from the balcony of his third-floor room at the CasaSur Palermo hotel at 5:07 p.m. local time. "Minutes earlier," the release continued, the hotel called 911 "to ask for help for a guest who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol and had destroyed some objects in the room."

"When SAME and officers from the 14B Neighborhood Police Station of the City Police arrived," the release added, "Payne had already fallen from the balcony of his room and died on the spot due to the severity of his injuries."

As for what authorities found upon searching the room, the release said police discovered substances that appear to be narcotics and alcoholic beverages—though, it was noted confirmation from experts is still needed. The document also stated that there were "several destroyed objects and furniture."

Authorities are also looking into who had been in the room before Payne's fall, with the release noting "five testimonial statements were taken from three hotel workers and two women who, in the hours prior, had been with the musician in his room, but had already left the hotel when the incident occurred."

"The prosecution said that beyond reconstructing the circumstances of the musician's death," the release said, "the investigation is also aimed at determining the possible involvement of third parties in the events prior to the victim's death."

In audio of a 911 call obtained by Telemundo from local media in Argentina, a hotel employee can be heard asking authorities for assistance.

"We have a guest who is overindulged in drugs and alcohol," the caller said, per NBC News' translation. "Well, when he is conscious he breaks. He is breaking the whole room. Well, we need you to send someone, please."

The employee then further expressed concern.

"We need someone to be sent to us urgently, because—well, I don't know if he is at risk," the individual added. "The guest is in a room that has a balcony and we are a little afraid that he might do something life-threatening."

The employee did not name Payne on the call. NBC News reached out to Payne's rep for comment but did not hear back.

(E!, NBC News and Telemundo are all part of the NBCUniversal family).

Payne had been vacationing in Argentina with girlfriend Kate Cassidy and had documented their trip prior to his death.

Photos and videos shared to the "Strip That Down" artist's Snapchat account showed the couple spending quality time together, eating breakfast, talking about his plans to ride horses and having what he described as a "lovely day" in Argentina days before his fatal fall, per screenshots by NBC News. The final photo shared to Payne's Snapchat account on the day of his death was a photo of him and Cassidy in their swimsuits.

Payne and Cassidy had noted on social media that she was heading back to Florida to be with their dog Nala while he was staying in Argentina.

"I was so ready to leave," Cassidy said in an Oct. 14 TikTok video that showed her traveling back to the U.S. "Honestly, love South America but I hate staying in one place for too long. And we were supposed to be there for, like, five days, turned into two weeks, and I was just like, 'I need to go home.'"

After Payne's death, Cassidy expressed how she was at a "complete loss" and how "nothing about the past few days have felt real."

"Liam, my angel," she wrote in part of an Oct. 18 Instagram post. "You are everything. I want you do know I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life. I love you Liam."

After Payne's death, his One Direction bandmates Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan expressed their heartache.

"We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing," the group wrote on Instagram in a joint message Oct. 17. "In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly."

One Direction was formed on The X Factor in 2010, and achieved huge success before the band members parted ways in 2015. 

"The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever," Styles, Malik, Tomlinson and Horan continued. "For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam."

In addition to the group statement, the four singers released individual tributes.

"The bond and friendship we had doesn't happen often in a lifetime," Horan, who hosted a concert in Buenos Aires on Oct. 2 that Payne had attended, wrote in part of an Oct. 18 Instagram post. "I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently. I sadly didn't know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It's heartbreaking."

Malik also announced on Oct. 19 that he's postponing the U.S. leg of his tour "given the heartbreaking loss experienced this week." 

Several stars, family members and friends have also honored Payne (read their tributes here).

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