A photograph of Liam Payne appearing to return to his hotel room in Buenos Aires is the last photo captured of the singer before he fell from a balcony to his death. Payne fell 45 feet from the third floor into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in Argentina on Wednesday, where medics later confirmed his death.
Payne arrived in Argentina with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, on September 30 and had initially planned to stay in Argentina for only five days but extended their visit to two weeks. During their stay, Payne attended his former bandmate Niall Horan's performance at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires on October 2.
Chilling Final Photo
On October 12, Cassidy, 25, returned home to Florida after sharing in a TikTok video that she "just needed to go home," while Payne remained in Argentina, checking into the £230-a-night Casa Sur Hotel by himself.
Just two days before Payne's death, on October 14, it was revealed that his ex-fiancée, Maya Henry, had started legal action against him, accusing him of obsessively contacting her and "weaponizing" his fans against her.
Two days later, Payne posted multiple videos on social media, including one where he jokingly called Cassidy a "loser" for leaving. Hours later, police were called to the hotel after reports surfaced of an "aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol."
A newly released photo, aired by local network America TV, shows Payne wearing a white sleeveless shirt with his tattoos on display. A presenter said this was the last time the former One Direction member was seen alive before taking the elevator to his room.
Alberto Crescenti, head of the city's emergency services, revealed that Payne had suffered a "cranial fracture and extremely severe injuries that led to his immediate death."
"Our role was to head there quickly, give medical attention, and try to resuscitate him, but his injuries were incompatible with life," the top medic said, according to La Nacion.
"Based on what the team saw, there was apparently a cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death.
"The team could do absolutely nothing. There was no resuscitation because it was confirmed that he had died. The whole body had very serious injuries," he added.
Disturbing Scene of Rampage
The cause of death for the 31-year-old Brit emerged shortly after an emergency call made by the hotel manager was released, revealing the unsettling moments leading up to the singer's tragic fall—indicating that Payne was "putting his life at risk."
"Hello, good morning. I just called and my line got disconnected. I'm calling [from] the CasaSur hotel in Palermo, Costa Rica 6032," the manager could be heard saying in Spanish in the audio.
The manager, identified as "Esteban," said that Payne was vandalizing his hotel room and was under the influence of "drugs and alcohol."
"Well, we have a guest who is drunk on drugs and alcohol. And, well, he's... When he's conscious, he's breaking up the whole room. And, well, we need you to send someone, please," the manager told the dispatcher.
Police later confirmed that they were called to the hotel after receiving reports of an "aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol."
Photos from inside Payne's hotel room have surfaced online, revealing the scene of chaos. The room appeared to be in disarray, with several personal items strewn around.
The images show a smashed laptop in the hotel lobby and powdery substances scattered across surfaces, fueling speculation about possible drug use.
Upon their arrival, officers found Payne's body in the hotel's inner courtyard after the manager reported hearing a loud sound coming from that area.
Officials stated that the singer's body has since been sent for an autopsy.
