1 month ago
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Liam Payne's hotel room in Buenos Aires has been raided by police as investigators seize material that could help them establish what happened prior to his death on October 16.
The former One Direction star fell three stories from his hotel room balcony. In the hours leading up to his death, hotel staff had called the police to raise concerns after he had reportedly destroyed his room.
Liam's room was also filled with various drugs. A preliminary autopsy also found that he had multiple drugs including crack cocaine and methamphetamine in his system at the time of his death.
On Thursday, Buenos Aires police officers raided the room to "seize items of interest for the investigation."
Rolando Barbano, a reporter for Telenoche in Argentina, claimed that investigators are "seizing material that was not previously taken. "
He added: "What is emerging from judicial sources? They have an employee under scrutiny for allegedly supplying drugs to the musician, who ended up losing his life after excessive consumption of alcohol and drugs."
Sources from the police force told Argentinian outlet LA NACION: "Personnel from the Special Investigations Division and the Special Technological Investigations Division were dispatched this afternoon to the CasaSur Hotel in Palermo, where singer Liam Payne lost his life last week, to carry out a raid ordered by Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor No. 14, led by Andrés Madrea, to seize items of interest for the investigation."
Meanwhile, judicial sources added that "the purpose of the operation was to seize documentation, film records, and videos from the basement area".
Prosecutor Andres Madrea met with Liam's father Geoff this week, reassuring him that the family's privacy will be protected during the investigation.
Geoff reportedly said he wanted his son's death to be "investigated and clarified" and offered to provide information if needed.
News outlet Fiscales reported: "The representative of the Public Prosecutor's Office informed the father that toxicological and histopathological studies complementary to the autopsy have not yet been completed, and these results are necessary for deciding on releasing the body.
"He also stated that as of now, there is no knowledge of other studies or lab analyses nor any specific technical report outside of what is strictly necessary for the investigation and judicial process related to this case."
The National Prosecutor's Office said that "examinations are being conducted on mobile phones, computers, photographs, and security camera videos that require more extended analysis time...numerous testimonial statements have been taken to reconstruct the victim's last hours and crime scene, a process still ongoing with hotel workers, acquaintances, technical professionals, doctors, and others connected to the victim through work."
The statement from the National Prosecutor's Office added: "To respect the victim's memory, any findings within this investigation will first be communicated to the family. Given the musician's high public profile, communication will be limited to institutional channels of the Public Prosecutor's Office."
Earlier this week, it was reported that staff at the hotel where Liam was staying is being investigated on suspicion of supplying him with drugs.
A cleaner and another member of staff at who work at the Casa Sur hotel are reportedly being investigated.
A friend of Liam's told MailOnline that "there were two guys at the hotel that were giving Liam drugs" and “the cleaner and another member of staff have been interviewed by the police."
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