2 weeks Ago By Gerard Couzens
Liam Payne’s friend and two workers at the hotel where the singer plunged to his death were arrested and charged by Argentinian law enforcement. Argentinian prosecutors have arrested and charged the friend and two hotel workers "with the crimes of abandonment of a person followed by death, supply and facilitation of narcotics." Respected Argentinian newspaper Clarin said Liam Payne’s close pal was seen with him shortly before he died in his Buenos Aires hotel lobby.
New searches were conducted earlier this week as part of this ongoing probe by prosecutors in the Argentinian capital after Liam's hotel was stormed by police. Liam Payne death investigation: 'Two hotel workers and friend of late star detained' Investigation into Liam Payne's death sees 'homes of a friend and two hotel employees' raided' Liam Payne's return flight becomes most tracked plane in the world as heartbroken fans look on Liam Payne funeral details: Date set as One Direction star's body returns to the UK Clarin said Liam's friend's home was one of the places searched along with the Patagones Polo Club where Liam stayed before checking into the hotel where he died and three residential homes in Lomas de Zamora, Tigre and La Matanza which are all on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. Liam's friend was reportedly one of the last people to see Liam alive.
Early on in the hunt to find Liam's "drug dealer," police were said to be focusing on hotel staff. This comes after pictures emerged of the inside of Liam’s deluxe suite showing the burnt top of what appeared to be a fizzy drinks can, traces of a white powder rumored to be cocaine and pieces of aluminum foil on a desktop. Unconfirmed claims said a Dove soap box also pictured in leaked photos had been used to smuggle drugs into his hotel room.
In one of only two official statements since Liam’s October 16 death, investigators linked the tragedy to a substance-induced "psychotic episode" they said they believed he suffered. They added that there didn’t appear to be any "third-party" involvement in his balcony plunge. Liam's friend was one of the people who gave a statement in the early stages of the investigation.
Clarin reported one of the hotel workers was employed with a hotel cleaning sub-contractor and said he had been fired after he was unable to explain to investigators why a taxi charged to Liam’s room was sent to his home address on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. News site Infobae has previously reported forensic experts had discovered traces of cocaine in Liam's body but tests on a white powder pictured in leaked photos showing the inside of his hotel suite after his death had so far proved "inconclusive." Partial results from his autopsy claimed a cocktail of drugs including designer narcotic pink cocaine containing MDMA, ketamine, methamphetamine had been found in his system during a partial autopsy along with crack cocaine and benzodiazepine.
Liam’s father Geoff flew back to the UK yesterday with his son’s body to prepare for his funeral after nearly three weeks in Argentina. Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sport and entertainment stories. All the latest news, showbiz, lifestyle and sports updates, brought to you by our dedicated American team.
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