Now, speaking to an Argentinian TV programme, Esteban Grassi said: "He was seen alone but his ex-partner was around." When he was asked on El Trece show Telenoche: “So she was staying at the hotel too” he replied ‘Yes’ before adding: “A floor above, yes’ when he was further asked whether she was above the third-floor suite Liam was in.
A small clip of the programme featuring part of the interview has been shown online and also mention in other Argentinian media outlets. It was not made clear who Mr Grassi was referring to in his claim. He is understood to have been among three hotel workers prosecutors revealed they had questioned.
Liam Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy left Buenos Aires to return to the States days before Liam died after spending time with him in the Argentinian capital. She said in a TikTok video before the 31-year-old's fatal plunge from his third-floor balcony at CasaSur Palermo Hotel last Wednesday: “I was ready to go back... Honestly, I love South America, but I hate being in one place for too long. We were supposed to stay for five days, but it turned into two weeks and I needed to get home.”
Mr Grassi phoned 911, the UK equivalent of 999, last Wednesday afternoon just before Liam died to say: “We have a guest who’s off his head on drugs and is destroying everything in his room. We need someone to come.”
In a second call he added: “We need you to send someone urgently because, well, I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger. They must be in a room that has a balcony. And well, we’re a little bit worried he’ll do something, that he’ll put his life at risk.”
A recording of the two calls was published in Argentinian media. Yesterday police swooped on the boutique hotel Liam died at and were seen going through documents and examining computers in the lobby. They were acting on orders from prosecutor Andres Madrea, who met Liam’s dad Geoff on Tuesday to inform him about the ongoing investigation into the tragedy.
They are understood to have been trying to find out who sold the former One Direction singer the drugs he is believed to have consumed before he plunged to his death. Prosecutors said last week in a statement they believed Liam was in “in a state of semi or total unconsciousness" during a substance-induced 'psychotic episode' when he fell.
He died of multiple trauma injuries which had caused “internal and external haemorrhaging.” His 25 ‘life-threatening’ injuries are believed to have included a skull fracture.
Investigators have indicated they do not suspect any “third-party” involvement but have made it clear the hunt is still on for his dealer amid speculation someone from his hotel was supplying him with narcotics. Argentinian news portal Infobae reported earlier this week forensic experts had discovered traces of cocaine in Liam's body but tests on the white powder had so far proved “inconclusive.”
Other unconfirmed reports originating in the US claimed a cocktail of drugs including designer narcotic pink cocaine containing MDMA, ketamine, methamphetamine had been found in his system during a partial autopsy along with crack cocaine and benzodiazepine.
The hotel raid involved Buenos Aires City Police belonging to a Special Investigations’ Division as well as a Technology Investigations Unit. They spent most of their time in reception but officers are also understood to have gone up to the third-floor suite Liam was staying at.
The singer’s dad Geoff, who flew to Argentina after his son's death, is expected to remain in Buenos Aires until he is given permission to fly back to the UK with his body. He was told during his meeting with Mr Madrea that will not happen before toxicology and tissue tests are complete.
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