Tragedy in Buenos Aires: Three Charged—and Later Cleared—After Liam Payne’s Death
Buenos Aires, July 2025 – In a dramatic turn of legal events, Argentinian authorities have dropped charges against Rogelio “Roger” Nores, a close friend of former One Direction singer Liam Payne, along with two hotel employees, in connection with Payne’s tragic death in October 2024.
💔 The Fateful Night
On October 16, 2024, Payne, aged 31, tragically fell from a third‑floor balcony at CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires. He was rushed to the hospital but died shortly afterward. His death was officially ruled as polytrauma—internal and external bleeding from multiple injuries—most likely caused by the fall. A subsequent toxicology report revealed a dangerous cocktail of substances: alcohol, cocaine, and an antidepressant, with alcohol alone estimated at about 2.7 g/L—four times Argentina’s legal limit
abcnews.go.com
+10
pagesix.com
+10
eonline.com
+10
.
Surveillance footage captured Payne being assisted—or, according to prosecutors, “dragged”—to his room shortly before the incident. Hotel staff placed an emergency call, warning he was destroying his room under the influence and might harm himself
theguardian.com
+1
nypost.com
+1
.
The Investigation Launches
On December 30, 2024, Argentina’s Public Prosecutor’s Office announced charges against five individuals:
Roger Nores – accused of manslaughter through negligence, for allegedly neglecting his duty to care for Payne despite knowing his intoxicated state.
Gilda Martín (hotel manager) and Esteban Grassi (head receptionist) – charged with negligent homicide, accused of allowing Payne, visibly intoxicated, to be taken to a room with a balcony.
Ezequiel Pereyra and Braian Paiz (hotel staff) – charged with supplying cocaine to Payne
youtube.com
+12
theguardian.com
+12
eonline.com
+12
.
The court warned that each person could face between 1–15 years behind bars, depending on the charges .
The initial narrative drew widespread attention: that Payne, severely impaired, had been allowed unsupervised access to the dangerous balcony, with Nores later absent during critical moments.
Charges Levied, Reaction from the Public
Media coverage intensified. Rolling Stone and ABC News emphasized that Nores, a millionaire Argentinian businessman who had known Payne since 2020, insisted he was just a friend—not a manager or guardian—and had encouraged sobriety
youtube.com
+15
eonline.com
+15
nypost.com
+15
abcnews.go.com
+2
thesun.co.uk
+2
nypost.com
+2
. Nores spoke candidly in interviews:
“We would both offer a lot of emotional support… I never used drugs”
abcnews.go.com
eonline.com
.
ABC News also reported the emotional toll, as Nores said clearing his name was expected but deeply painful:
“It’s been a real weird experience and it’s been obviously really hard,” he told Good Morning America
nypost.com
+7
abcnews.go.com
+7
pagesix.com
+7
.
Fans and Payne’s former bandmates—Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik—expressed grief and confusion over Payne’s final days, while the wider public absorbed harrowing details of substance use and chaotic hotel-room behavior
theguardian.com
+7
ew.com
+7
eonline.com
+7
.
Court Ruling: Charges Dropped
On February 20–21, 2025, an Argentinian appeals court delivered a landmark decision: charges against Nores, Martín, and Grassi were dropped. The court determined:
No evidence showed Nores provided Payne with alcohol or drugs.
Nores was not responsible for preventing Payne’s access to the balcony.
The hotel staff acted without malice, and their actions did not directly cause Payne’s death
en.wikipedia.org
+7
latimes.com
+7
abc7chicago.com
+7
ew.com
+4
abc11.com
+4
nypost.com
+4
.
Judge Laura Bruniard emphasized that while they’d contributed to a risky situation by allowing an intoxicated Payne access to the room, there was no direct causation for death
theguardian.com
+1
ew.com
+1
.
Aftermath and Next Steps
As of now, only Pereyra and Paiz, the two accused of supplying cocaine, remain in pretrial detention facing potential charges of drug trafficking. Prosecutors allege each made deliveries of cocaine to Payne on separate occasions—and may face up to 15 years in prison if convicted
pagesix.com
+3
ew.com
+3
theguardian.com
+3
.
Meanwhile, Roger Nores is pursuing a defamation lawsuit against Payne’s father, Geoff Payne, claiming Geoff made false statements implying Nores was Payne’s keeper or guardian. Nores demands an apology and damages
