Three people have reportedly been detained as part of the investigation into the tragic death of One Direction star Liam Payne. Liam fell from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16.
According to ABC World News, two of the detained individuals are hotel employees accused of providing drugs to the singer. “Police detained two hotel workers accused of supplying the drugs,” David Muir reported, adding that authorities also raided the home of a friend who has now been detained as well.
TMZ further reports that Argentine law enforcement conducted a series of raids on Tuesday night, targeting two hotel employees and a friend of Liam’s. Officers searched the workers’ hotel lockers and reviewed security footage from the CasaSur Palermo.
It’s understood that the friend in question was not present during the raid, reports the Mirror. To date, there have reportedly been a total of nine raids related to the investigation.
Argentine outlet La Nacion noted that eight of the nine homes raided are connected to the three individuals currently under investigation. Investigators are also examining a Dove soap box found at the scene, suspecting it may have been used to smuggle drugs.
A close friend of the singer allegedly told the Daily Mail that two hotel employees were involved in supplying drugs to Liam, even sending taxis to collect packages for him. A post-mortem examination confirmed that the cause of death was head injuries sustained during the fall.
Argentine media also reported traces of cocaine were found in Liam’s body at the time of his death, with respected news portal Infobae noting the presence of the class-A drug in materials extracted during the autopsy.
Sources close to Liam’s family have shared plans for a “lavish service of remembrance,” likely to take place in a grand cathedral, allowing family, friends, and fans to say their goodbyes. While it’s uncertain if his former bandmates will attend, an insider told MailOnline, “Liam will have a very big send-off, quite probably at a large cathedral somewhere close to his heart.”
In tribute, a Change.org petition has gained over 134,000 signatures, calling for improved support, mental health resources, and protections for artists in the entertainment industry. The petition, launched by a fan, demands that entertainers receive regular mental health check-ups, designated rest periods, and access to professional mental health support, asserting that Liam worked in an industry that “let him down.”
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