An American tourist who stayed at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires at the same time as Liam Payne claimed the late One Direction member fell unconscious shortly before he died.
“There was an incident where he was very frustrated and was smashing his laptop in the lobby, and then the final time he came down, he actually passed out in the lobby of the hotel,” the hotel guest said in an interview for “Impact x Nightline: One Direction: Liam Payne’s Final Days.”
The tourist claimed he witnessed Payne come down to the lobby “multiple times” and cause such a “disturbance” that he had to be “escorted back up to his room” by hotel staff.
His remarks echo what another guest, a woman named Rebecca, recently told the Daily Mail.
She claimed she saw Payne in the hotel lobby as well, and witnessed some of his bizarre behavior.
Rebecca said she saw the “X Factor” alum grab a woman, whom she believed he had been “with him,” and claimed the singer started “fake-choking her.”
The hotel guest said she was also present when Payne broke his laptop, sharing she heard him shout “F–k this s–t, mate!” after receiving an email that seemingly upset him.
The CasaSur Palermo Hotel manager placed a call to 911, which was later released, amid the chaos.
The man — identified only as Esteban — told first responders at the time, “We have a guest who is [allegedly] high and drunk; and when he is conscious, he is destroying his room and we need you to send someone, please.”
He added that he feared for the life of the hotel guest — who was later identified as Payne — because he was “in a room that has a balcony and we are scared he might be endangering his life.”
Shortly after, the “Night Changes” singer fell to his death from the third-story balcony of his room.
He suffered a fractured skull, and died on impact after he landed in the hotel’s courtyard. His cause of death was attributed to the multiple traumas, internal and external bleeding he sustained.
A toxicology report also revealed that Payne had multiple drugs in his system at the time of his death, including cocaine, crack, the depressant benzodiazepine and a popular party drug called pink cocaine, which is typically a mix of meth, ecstasy and other drugs.
Police are investigating how the “Story of My Life” singer obtained the drugs, but they reportedly believe a hotel employee may have supplied the substances.
According to TMZ, investigators have a theory that one of the workers secretly transported drugs via a Dove soap box that was found alongside other drug paraphernalia in Payne’s trashed hotel.
Prosecutors have also spoken to two women — believed to be prostitutes — who were with the “Strip That Down” singer in his room hours before he died.
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However, the two 25-year-old sex workers have reportedly testified under oath that they only drank alcohol with Payne and did not do drugs.
The National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office in Argentina also concluded that the “For You” singer — who was likely unconscious when he died — was alone in his hotel room when he fatally fell.
Prosecutors also found “no defensive injuries” on Payne. However, his death investigation is ongoing.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
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