Liam Payne death probe 'accelerates' as huge update emerges from Argentina

A major update in the investigation of Liam Payne's death has emerged.

Liam tragically died after falling from the balcony of his hotel room at the CasaSur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina last month. An initial toxicology report has found the singer had cocaine in his body at the time of his death.

Prosecutors have reportedly won an appeal to reverse a judge's decision to rule herself out of the probe into the One Direction star's passing on October 16. The court win for lead prosecutor Andres Madrea makes it possible for the ongoing inquiry into Liam's death to be accelerated.

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It paves the way for the arrest and incarceration of one of the three men placed under formal investigation last month. These three people, who have not yet formally charged with any crime, have been identified locally as Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores, former hotel worker Ezequiel David Pereyra, and waiter Braian Nahuel Paiz.

The court win also allows for more suspects to be brought in. It follows local reports prosecutors may bring manslaughter charges against hotel employees seen carrying Liam from the lobby to his third-floor suite shortly before his death.

Judge Laura Bruniard’s had decided to rule herself out of the probe and this "impasse" had slowed down the investigation and prevented prosecutors from questioning the three suspects. She claimed the case had to be investigated by a conventional Buenos Aires court under Argentinian law because one of the allegations was Liam had been abandoned before his death.

Mr Madrea argued that her decision was “premature” and won the appeal yesterday (December 3) by a higher court. This came after he successfully challenged an earlier decision not to remand to prison a waiter accused of supplying Liam with drugs.

Paiz, 24, Liam’s alleged ‘dealer’, admitted to two hotel meetings with Liam and confessed to taking drugs with him, while speaking on Argentinian TV last month. He insists he never supplied the singer with narcotics or accepted any money from him.

On Monday (December 2), appeal court judges revoked an earlier ruling by Laura Bruniard to spare him ‘pre-trial detention.' It's said a key factor in the appeal judges' resolution was Paiz’s decision to move home after learning he had been placed under investigation, despite hiring a defence lawyer.

Argentinian media claimed it was “unlikely” prosecutors would request his arrest before Mr Madrea’s second appeal win but sources said overnight the new court scenario now increased that possibility. They also claim the appeal win paves the way for one of the other alleged suspects, Liam’s close friend Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores, to be formally questioned as part of the probe.

Prosecution sources had hinted that other suspects could emerge and that manslaughter charges could be brought in once the issues about which judge could head up the probe were resolved. Investigators are looking to determine who supplied Liam with the drugs reportedly found in his system.

Nores has denied any involvement in the singer's death. He claims he last saw the star about 40 minutes before his fall and had visited his friend's hotel three times that day. He said: "I never abandoned Liam. There were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left. I could have never imagined something like this would happen."

Two other men have also been questioned. These include a 21-year-old hotel worker, and a 24-year-old who worked at a restaurant Liam visited. The same sources said the door of Liam’s hotel room was left ajar when he was helped back to his room rather than being closed, saying staff heard him breaking things because they stayed outside.

The other two men under official investigation, but not yet formally charged, have been named as waiter Paiz and Ezequiel David Pereyra. Pereyra, who has not yet made a public comment, has been identified locally as the hotel worker suspected of delivering drugs to Liam before he died in a Dove soap box.

It has been claimed Liam had asked friend Rogelio Nores for four bottles of whisky the night before he died and for five more the next morning. According to TMZ, documents claim Liam had asked Nores for "six grams" the day of his death as well as five bottles of whisky.

A new photo of Liam, perhaps the last picture of him alive, showed him being carried by a group of men in the hotel lobby shortly before he died. The Daily Mail, which published the image captured by CCTV footage, identified one of the men as a hotel spa masseur and the other two as reception staff who included chief receptionist Esteban Grassi.

It's said the photo has raised questions about their decision to take Liam back to his room, which had a balcony, rather than keep an eye on him downstairs while they waited for medical assistance. Police believe the singer was likely in a state of "semi or total unconsciousness" when he died.

Mr Grassi made an urgent 999 call requesting assistance with a guest who he claims was ‘high on drugs’ and damaging everything in his room shortly before Liam's death. He said: “We’re a little bit worried he’ll do something, that he’ll put his life at risk.”

Local reports in Argentina say Madrea is considering whether to expand the number of suspects following the weekend publication of the pictures of Liam. Argentinian news website Infobae, citing prosecution sources, described it as a “possibility”, adding: “To decide this prosecutors have to finish analysing the hotel front desk computer as well as the employees’ phones.”

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