Liam Payne's Shocking BAC Revealed: What Really Happened Before His Tragic Fall?

More questions are getting answered in the investigation into Liam Payne‘s death.

Four months following the fatal fall from his hotel balcony in Argentina, details about the toxicology report of the former One Direction member have been disclosed. The results indicated that Payne had a blood alcohol level (BAC) of 0.27% at the time of his death, as stated in a press release dated February 25th from the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office.

As a lifestyle connoisseur, I’d like to clarify that the renowned singer whose hit song goes “Strip That Down,” had a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level significantly exceeding the lawful driving limit in the United States, specifically surpassing the 0.08 percent threshold.

At a blood alcohol level this elevated, one would be categorized as “extremely intoxicated,” as per the guidelines provided by Stanford University’s Vaden Health Services. Such individuals may struggle to walk steadily, may exhibit signs of mental disorientation, and might experience nausea or vomiting.

But alcohol wasn’t all that was in his system when Payne died on Oct. 16 at age 31.

Approximately three months prior to the release of the detailed findings from Payne’s autopsy report, a preliminary examination suggested the presence of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescribed antidepressant in his body at the time of his death. The specific quantities were not revealed in this initial test.

The officials determined that it’s highly probable Liam may not have been fully aware during the moment of his death, as there were no indications of defensive actions taken by him.

Approximately three months prior to releasing the complete results, a preliminary examination suggested that Payne had traces of alcohol, cocaine, and an antidepressant medication prescribed for depression in his body at the time of his death. The specific quantities were kept confidential.

Officials determined that, given the absence of any indications of self-defense, it’s highly probable that Liam may not have been fully aware during the moment of his death.

In simpler terms, Argentina’s public prosecutor stated on November 7 that this situation suggests the victim was unable to act consciously or voluntarily because, given his condition at the time, he didn’t know what he was doing and couldn’t comprehend it.

Based on all the findings from the probe, it’s been verified that his 25 wounds match those typically caused by falling from the height of a balcony.

The severity of the head wounds was great enough to lead to his demise, as stated by the prosecution. Moreover, they pointed out that the bleeding within the skull, chest, abdomen, and limbs collectively played a role in the manner of his passing.

For more on Payne’s untimely passing, read on.

On October 16, 2024, it was confirmed by the Emergency Medical Attention System (SAME) to Telemundo that Liam Payne had passed away at the age of 31 in Argentina.

According to reports from the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No. 14, translated from Spanish, the singer fell fatally from a third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires’ Palermo neighborhood where he was staying on October 17th. The autopsy revealed that Payne died due to severe injuries and internal and external bleeding caused by the fall. Although the incident is being investigated as a ‘doubtful death,’ suggesting no clear cause, it appears that the musician was alone at the time of the fall and was experiencing some kind of emotional disturbance possibly related to substance abuse. Payne had previously spoken publicly about his struggle with sobriety, revealing in a July 2023 YouTube video that he had been in treatment for approximately 100 days and had abstained from alcohol for around six months.

According to a statement, medical examiners reported 25 injuries on Payne’s body that were consistent with those from a fall from a significant height. The statement also mentioned that the head injuries alone were sufficient to cause his death, while various internal and external hemorrhages in the skull, torso, abdomen, and limbs contributed to the manner of his death.

Additionally, forensic experts found no signs of defensive wounds after examining the former One Direction member, and no injuries were observed that suggested any third-party intervention.

However, questions still remained about Payne’s condition at the time of the fall. The statement added that due to the position of his body and the injuries from the fall, it was presumed that Payne did not take any action to protect himself and may have fallen into a state of semi- or total unconsciousness.

As medical examiners sought further clarification, the statement noted they requested histopathological, biochemical, and toxicological studies. At this stage, they required an analysis of Payne’s stomach contents, blood alcohol and toxins, vitreous humor, bile, nasal swab, and urine for determining alcohol and toxin levels.

A preliminary toxicology report subsequently revealed that Payne had drugs in his system at the time of his death, as confirmed by an official who spoke with The New York Times.

According to a press release dated November 7th by Argentina’s public prosecutor, analyses showed traces of alcohol, cocaine, and an prescribed antidepressant in his system.

The authorities do not think his death was a suicide, as suggested by a November 7 press release from Argentina’s public prosecutor, who stated that the victim may not have been fully aware when he fell. This scenario makes it unlikely that the incident was intentional or voluntary on his part because, in his condition, he did not know what he was doing or comprehend it. In a later press release on December 30, Judge Laura Bruniard from National Criminal and Correctional Court No. 34 added that, given Payne’s state of mind, it is plausible that he attempted to exit his room via the balcony and fell as a result.

According to the account provided by prosecutors, the statement released on Oct. 17 suggests that Payne fell from his third-floor balcony at CasaSur Palermo hotel at approximately 5:07 p.m., local time. Earlier, the hotel contacted emergency services for assistance regarding a guest who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol and had damaged some items in the room. When officers from SAME and the 14B Neighborhood Police Station arrived, Payne had already fallen from his balcony and died instantly due to the gravity of his injuries.

Upon searching the room, police found what appeared to be narcotics and alcoholic beverages, though confirmation was pending from experts. The statement also mentioned several damaged objects and furniture in the room.

Authorities were interested in identifying who had been in the room before Payne’s fall, with five testimonial statements being taken from three hotel employees and two women who were in the musician’s room prior to his death but had left the hotel when the incident occurred.

The prosecution stated that their investigation not only aimed to understand the circumstances surrounding the musician’s death, but also to determine if any third parties played a role in the events leading up to Payne’s demise.

In an emergency call made to authorities, a hotel worker can be heard pleading for help concerning a guest who is heavily under the influence of drugs and alcohol. According to NBC News’ translation, the caller said, “This individual is destructive when he’s awake, causing damage all around him. We urgently need someone sent here, please.” The employee also voiced their worry, stating, “We need immediate assistance because I’m not sure if this guest poses a risk. He’s in a room with a balcony, and we fear that he might take dangerous actions.” It should be noted that the caller did not mention Payne during the call; NBC News reached out to his representative for comment but has yet to receive a response.

Argentina’s chief prosecutor declared on November 7 that three individuals have been indicted for alleged illegal activities, as stated in a press release translated from Spanish. The first individual, who was the artist’s daily companion during his stay in Buenos Aires, is accused of the crimes related to abandonment of a person leading to death. A hotel employee is the second defendant, charged with providing cocaine to Liam Payne on two separate occasions while he was at the hotel. The third individual, also a drug supplier, faces charges for supplying cocaine on two distinct instances on October 14.

Initially, it was thought that no one was held accountable in the case. But later, five individuals were indicted: the hotel manager Gilda Martin, Esteban Grassi (the receptionist), Roger Nores (Payne’s representative), Ezequiel Pereyra (a hotel employee), and Braian Paiz (a waiter). The prosecutor’s office in Argentina revealed this information on Dec. 30. The BBC reported that the first three were identified as Gilda Martin, Esteban Grassi, and Roger Nores, while the latter two were named as Ezequiel Pereyra and Braian Paiz. It was also mentioned that a judge altered the criminal charge for Roger Nores from abandonment to negligent homicide. Roger Nores denied abandoning Payne and stated he wasn’t his manager in an interview with Daily Mail.

According to a statement released by the prosecutor’s office on November 7th, extensive and careful investigations were conducted to understand the circumstances surrounding Payne’s death. This involved gathering testimonies from over forty hotel staff members, family, friends, medical experts, chemists, and psychiatrists. Furthermore, they analyzed more than 800 hours of video footage from security cameras in the hotel and on public roads.

The investigation also included the forensic extraction of data from Payne’s cell phone, which allowed them to review his calls, messages, chats on messaging apps, and social media interactions. Additionally, they obtained and analyzed several gigabytes of data from other cell phones, such as those belonging to the hotel reception and witnesses who willingly provided their phones to support their statements.

Other pieces of information that were examined included a log of guests and orders at the hotel restaurant/bar to identify who visited Payne and what they consumed. Moreover, nine searches were requested at homes in Buenos Aires as part of the investigation.

Moving forward, it’s important to mention that the probe isn’t concluding just yet. The reason being, there are additional steps that need to be taken, such as unlocking my personal netbook (which is currently non-functional) and other devices confiscated during the investigation. These processes are still underway.

Zac Efron, along with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, were enjoying a vacation in Argentina. Prior to his passing, he had been posting about their trip on social media.

Photos and videos posted on Efron’s Snapchat account showed the couple enjoying quality time together, having breakfast, discussing his plans to ride horses, and enjoying what he called a “beautiful day” in Argentina, as seen in screenshots obtained by NBC News. The last photo shared to Efron’s Snapchat on the day of his death was a picture of him and Cassidy in their swimsuits.

Efron and Cassidy had mentioned on social media that she was returning to Florida to be with their dog Nala, while he stayed in Argentina.

Cassidy stated in a video on October 14 that she was eager to return to the U.S., expressing her discomfort with staying in one place for an extended period. Originally, they were only meant to stay in South America for five days, but it turned into two weeks, causing her to yearn for home.

Following Payne’s demise, Cassidy conveyed her feelings of being utterly lost and how the past few days didn’t seem real to her.

In a part of an Instagram post on October 18, she wrote, “My dear Liam, you are everything. I want you to know I loved you without condition or limit. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life. I love you, Liam.

Following Liam Payne’s tragic demise, his fellow One Direction bandmates – Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan – publicly mourned his death. In a joint Instagram post on October 17th, they wrote: “We are utterly heartbroken by the news of Liam’s passing. With time, we will find the words to express our feelings more fully, but for now, we want to take some time to grieve and come to terms with the loss of our cherished brother.”

One Direction was formed on The X Factor in 2010 and went on to achieve immense success before disbanding in 2015. In their tribute, the band members shared: “The memories we shared with him will be cherished forever.” They continued, expressing their love for Liam, stating: “Our thoughts are currently with his family, friends, and fans who adored him as much as we did. We will deeply miss him.”

Individual tributes were also shared by each member. Niall Horan wrote on Instagram the following day: “The bond and friendship we had is a rare gift in life. I feel blessed to have experienced it with him. It’s heart-wrenching to know that saying goodbye to him that evening was the last time I would ever see him.”

Zayn Malik announced on October 19th that he was postponing the U.S. leg of his tour in light of this recent loss.

Many other celebrities, family members, and friends have also paid tribute to Payne (read their tributes here).

2025-02-26 07:17

Liam Payne’s Shocking BAC Revealed: What Really Happened Before His Tragic Fall?

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