Judge Charges Five Individuals in Connection With Death of Former Pop Star Liam Payne

An Argentine judge has confirmed charges against five individuals in connection with the death of Liam Payne, a former member of the globally renowned boy band One Direction. Two of the accused have been placed in preventive detention on charges of supplying Payne with drugs.

According to a judicial officer, one of those detained was an employee of the Buenos Aires hotel where Payne stayed before his death in October. The other was a waiter whom Payne reportedly met at a local restaurant. Both are required to appear before the court to face charges related to drug distribution.

Three additional individuals have been charged with manslaughter, including a businessman who was with Payne in Argentina and two hotel managers. However, these individuals have not been placed in preventive detention.

Payne’s tragic death occurred after he fell from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room in the upscale Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires. His autopsy revealed multiple injuries and significant external bleeding, with toxicological tests detecting traces of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescribed antidepressant in his system.

Prosecutors stated that the autopsy found no evidence of self-harm or physical intervention by others. However, Payne’s lack of reflexes during the fall suggested he may have been unconscious at the time.

Payne rose to fame as a member of One Direction, one of the most successful boy bands in history. Following the group’s indefinite hiatus in 2016, Payne, along with bandmates Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson, pursued a solo career. His death has left fans and the music community mourning a significant loss.

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