What we know so far about Liam Payne's death

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Authorities in Argentina on Friday were continuing to investigate the death of former One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died Wednesday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

Payne, who was 31, rose to fame as a beloved member of the massively popular boy band. 

Payne, along with members Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson, individually auditioned as solo candidates for the 2010 series of the British singing competition series "The X-Factor." They were brought together by judge Simon Cowell to form a band, and went on to become one of the most successful boy bands of all time.

Police and prosecutors are awaiting the results of a toxicology report and are trying to reconstruct Payne's final moments. 

Authorities said they took statements from three employees at Casa Sur Hotel in the chic Palermo neighborhood of Argentina’s capital, as well as two women who had visited Payne in his hotel room hours before his death. The two women had left the hotel by the time of the fall, the prosecution said.

Here is what we know so far about Payne’s death: 

Liam Payne 911 call

Hotel staff called the police on Wednesday evening with concerns about a guest who they say was "overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol." 

Police rushed to the hotel and responded to the call just after 5 p.m. local time, and they later confirmed they arrived just minutes before Payne’s fall.

In a 911 call obtained by the Associated Press, the hotel manager can be heard saying the guest was "destroying the entire room." 

"We have a guest way too drunk with drugs and alcohol," the hotel manager can be heard saying. "When the guest is conscious, he is breaking everything in the room. And we need you to send someone, please."

The manager’s voice became more anxious as the call went on, noting the room had a balcony.

"We need you to send someone with urgency because I don’t know if his life is in danger because the guest is in a room with a balcony, and we are a bit afraid he could do something that threatens his life," the person can be heard saying.

Prosecutors describe Payne's death as ‘suspicious’

Officials said Payne's fall injuries alone were enough to cause his death, but prosecutors described Payne’s case as "suspicious," citing the likelihood that the star had been drinking alcohol and taking drugs. 

The office also confirmed all signs pointed to Payne being alone at the time of the incident and authorities have ordered a toxicology report.

Whether the fall was intentional or accidental remains unknown, but the public prosecutor said the lack of defensive injuries on Payne’s hands indicated that "he did not adopt a reflexive posture to protect himself and that he could have fallen into a state of semi- or total unconsciousness."

Liam Payne's hotel room 

Buenos Aires police said they found Payne’s hotel room "in complete disarray," according to the Associated Press.

They saw "various items broken" and recovered packs of clonazepam, a central nervous system depressant, energy supplements and other over-the-counter drugs strewn among his belongings.

Forensics teams also reported that authorities recovered a whiskey bottle, lighter and cellphone from the internal courtyard where Payne’s body was found. 

Evidence collected from the scene suggested Payne "was going through some kind of substance abuse episode," according to a statement from Argentine authorities.

In recent years, Payne had acknowledged struggling with alcoholism, saying in a YouTube video posted in July 2023 that he had been sober for six months after receiving treatment.

One Direction members share statements

The band shared a statement on social media after news of his death, with the surviving members saying they were "completely devastated by the news."

"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," the statement reads in part. "The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. 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."

Malik, Tomlinson, Styles and Horan also shared individual tributes on their Instagram pages, each writing about their close friendships with Payne. 

All four wrote again that they are "devastated."

Payne had a son, Bear Grey Payne, with his former girlfriend, the musician Cheryl, in 2017. He is also survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola.