Argentina: Five People Charged in the Death of Singer Liam Payne

Argentine prosecutors have charged five individuals in connection with the death of British singer Liam Payne, who fell from the balcony of his hotel room in October. Two of the individuals have been placed in preventive detention, the prosecutors said on Monday.

In a statement, the prosecution said, “Three of the accused have been charged with involuntary manslaughter without being detained, while two others were charged with supplying drugs and have been placed in preventive detention,” according to AFP.

Payne died on October 16 after falling from the balcony of his room in a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital. The Argentine prosecution had previously announced that Payne had consumed alcohol, cocaine, and antidepressants before his death. The prosecution referred to the suspects using the initials of their names.

The statement added that “R.L.N., a representative of the victim who was accompanying him on this trip to Buenos Aires to renew his U.S. visa, the hotel manager J.A.M., and the hotel receptionist A.R.J. are the three accused of involuntary manslaughter… a crime punishable by imprisonment from one to five years.”

A hotel employee named A.D.B. and a waiter Payne met in Buenos Aires, B.N.P., were charged with “drug supplying,” a crime punishable by four to fifteen years in prison. They have been placed in preventive detention.

In November, the Argentine prosecutors announced that Payne had used alcohol, cocaine, and antidepressants before his death, noting that three people were charged with supplying drugs to him, though their names were not disclosed.

The ruling on Monday means that all five individuals will face trial.

Payne’s death sparked a wave of grief among his fans worldwide.