Inside tragic Liam Payne's hotel room: A smashed TV, white powder and aluminium foil are seen in photos published by Argentinian media of trashed suite after he fell to his death

Oct 17, 2024

By Nick Craven and Gerard Couzens 15:00 17 Oct 2024, updated 15:28 17 Oct 2024

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Littered with white powder and tin foil, this was said to be the scene inside Liam Payne’s hotel room after the singer fell to his death in Buenos Aires last night.

Payne was found dead by police who say they found the popstar's medicines including clonazepam - a drug which is used to control epilepsy, involuntary muscle spasms and panic disorders.

The photos were published across the Argentinian media, including major broadsheets today and purport to show Payne's suite at the Casa Sur hotel in Palermo.

There was a frantic call to 911 from hotel staff about ‘an aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol’ who was ‘smashing up his room’ minutes before he died.

These photos inside the luxury suite, published by Argentinian magazine Clarin, appeared to confirm the troubling report about Payne’s mental state.

On a table, the surface was covered with tin foil, white powder, a lighter and scorch marks on the wooden surface.

A blackened aluminium drinks can lid appeared to have been heated and a smashed TV screen on a shelf bore the signs of a heavy impact whilst a half-empty Champagne flute was nearby.

Police later confirmed that after a search of the popstar's room medicines like clonazepam were found - a drug which is used to control epilepsy, involuntary muscle spasms and panic disorders.

It comes as:

More candle and aluminum foil remains were found in the bathtub of Payne's suite, the bottom of which was stained and had some burns.

In a tape of the 911 call from the hotel manager to police, he could be heard saying: ‘I'm calling from the Casa Sur hotel in Palermo, we have a guest who is over the top with drugs and is breaking up the entire room.

‘We need someone to come.’

The call then cuts off and on a second call, the manager adds ‘when he is conscious he is breaking up the room.

‘We need you to send someone, please’

The emergency operator then asks the manager: ‘Under the influence of alcohol and narcotics?’

The manager's response made his fears all too plain: ‘We need someone to be sent to us urgently, because I don't know if the guest's life is at risk.

‘The room has a balcony and we are afraid that they might do something’

Seconds later, it appeared it was too late to prevent the tragedy as the manager said with emotion in his voice: ‘Send only SAME, only SAME. [the city’s emergency paramedic service].

Payne had arrived in South America with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy on September 30, staying in Argentina for two weeks after only planning to spend 'five days' there.

During their extended trip, Payne was reunited with Niall Horan after going to watch his former bandmate perform at the Movistar Arena, Buenos Aires, on October 2.

On October 12, Ms Cassidy, 25, returned home to Florida after saying 'I just need to go home' in a TikTok video, with Payne staying behind and checking into the £230-a-night Casa Sur hotel alone.

Just 48 hours before his death, on October 14, it emerged that Payne's ex-fiancée, Ms Maya Henry, had started legal proceedings against Payne, accusing him of obsessively contact and 'weaponising' his fans against her.

Two days later, Payne posted several social media videos, including one where he jokingly called his girlfriend a 'loser' for going home. Hours later, police were called to the hotel following reports of an 'aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol'.

The new photo broadcast on local network America TV appears to show Payne wearing a white sleeveless top with his tattoos visible. A presenter said it was the last time the former One Direction singer was seen alive before he got in a lift to his room.

As the news of the singer’s death began to filter out, fans began to arrive at the door of the Palermo hotel and held a candle-lit vigil outside and a collection of flowers and messages began to build up.

His body was transferred to the judicial morgue to be examined.

Liam's family have said they are 'heartbroken' by his death aged 31, adding that the former One Direction star will 'forever live in our hearts'.

A family statement said: 'We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we'll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.'

Payne's uncle Roger Harris also told MailOnline this afternoon: 'We are all just deeply saddened and trying to come to terms with it. I just hope everybody gives them some privacy really and allows them to come to terms with it. That's all I can say.'

The singer – who had been posing with fans in Buenos Aires in the hours before his death - suffered a fractured skull after falling from the third floor of Casa Sur Palmero Hotel in Argentina's capital shortly after 5pm local time (9pm UK time) yesterday.

Another relative speaking at Payne's family home in Wolverhampton - the city where he was born and grew up - told MailOnline: 'We are utterly devastated by the news.'

Payne was raised in Wolverhampton by his mother Karen, a nurse, and father Geoff, a fitter. Early this morning, his older sisters, Nicola and Ruth, arrived at the house.

Nine weeks ago Geoff posted a sweet image of his son and his dog as he penned in the caption: '#Like if you love my son!' - a post which has since been flooded with messages of condolence for their family.

Neighbours said Payne's parents left their £600,000 four-bedroom detached house last night at around midnight while Nicola and Ruth were seen entering the property at 9am this morning.

Last night, thousands of fans gathered outside the hotel, while emergency services worked at the scene around a central red tent at the location the star fell.

Some lit candles, some sang One Direction songs and others held each sobbing as they paused to remember Mr Payne who was one fifth of the most succesful boy band of the 2010s.

In order to control the crowd, Argentinian police were forced to form a line in front of the hotel to stop distraught local fans getting too close to the scene.

There has been an outpouring of tributes online, with fellow former X Factor contestants Jedwad writing: 'RIP Liam Payne. Condolences to his friends and family.'

They added: ' Sending strength to Cheryl and his son Bear, and all the One Direction family.'

Ex-X Factor contestant and TV personality Rylan Clark said: 'Extremely sad news. Very tragic and so young. RIP Liam x'

Singer Olly Murs, who starred on The X Factor the year before One Direction, said he was 'lost for words', describing Payne's death as 'devastating' on Instagram.

'We always had a good laugh when we saw each other, sometimes the catch ups were only short and sweet but when we did it was mostly about how annoyingly good his hair always looked, or our love for Becks, the old XF (X Factor) days and the tour we shared together,' Murs wrote beside a picture of the pair.

'Liam shared the same passions as me, the same dreams so to see his life now end so young hits hard, I'm truly gutted and devastated for his family and of course his son Bear losing a dad.'

Harry Styles' mother Anne Twist posted a broken-hearted emoji on Instagram, captioning it: 'Just a boy.'

Fellow former contestant Katie Waissel wrote: 'My heart is completely torn to shreds right now, I am at an absolute loss for words.'

Former X Factor presenter Dermot O'Leary described shock reports of Liam Payne's death as 'the worst news'.

He said: 'I remember him as a 14 year old turning up to audition on The X Factor, and blowing us away singing Sinatra. He just loved to sing.

'He was always a joy, had time for everyone, polite, grateful, and was always humble.

'Sending love and prayers to his family. Dx'

Paris Hilton wrote: 'So upsetting to hear the news of Liam Payne passing. Sending love and condolences to his family and loves ones. RIP my friend.

Singer Charlie Puth has shared a series of photos and videos to his Instagram as he paid tribute to the late One Direction star.

The 32-year-old Light Switch hitmaker posted a sweet photograph of the pair, each pointing to the other and with their arms around one another.

He wrote to his 18.4million followers: 'I am in shock right now. Liam was always so kind to me.

'He was one of the first major artists I got to work with. I can not believe he is gone.'

Singer Max George has revealed he is 'devastated' at the news of Liam Payne's death.

The Wanted 2.0 star wrote on X: 'Liam was unbelievably supportive during one of the most difficult times in my life.

Local police have since launched into the 31-year-old's sudden death, as tributes flood in in the wake of the tragedy.

A police statement from local police said they arrived to the hotel after they were 'informed of an aggressive man who may have been under the effects of drugs and alcohol'.

City ambulance service provider spokesman Alberto Crescenti said Mr Payne had fallen around 40 metres and suffered 'severe injuries which were incompatible with life.'

He said: 'The alarm was raised at 5.04pm local time saying a person was lying in an internal patio at Casa Sur.

'At 5.11pm an ambulance arrived and the man was certified dead.

'Afterwards we found out he had been a famous singer. Unfortunately the injuries he had suffered as a result of the fall proved to be fatal. There was no possibility of resuscitating him.'

The star's final Snapchat post showed him happily posing with his partner Kate Cassidy as they looked into a mirror - a picture which was originally taken last August.

Further posts from the final moments of the star's life showed him enjoying lunch in his hotel room, where he revealed the pair had been 'waking up at 1pm every day' and deciding on Forest Gump as a Halloween costume.

A further tragic selfie was captioned: 'Lovely day in Argentina' before the star shared a photo of his hotel, writing: 'Happy I got some time away' followed by a heart emoji.

He shared a further photo with Kate captioned: 'Quality time.'

Liam Payne's ex-fiancée Maya Henry has broken her silence following the singer's sudden death.

A source close to Henry has told DailyMail.com: 'Right now she is obviously in shock.'

The model only found out when a member of her team was contacted by a reporter.

Liam began his pursuit to stardom when he initially auditioned for X Factor in 2008.

At only 14-years-old Liam impressed judges with his own version of Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra - but was later eliminated from the show.

However Payne gave his singing career another go auditioning for the competition again in 2010, where he quickly shot to fame as part of One Direction.

He and his former bandmates Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson, were brought together by Simon Cowell and former judge Nicole Scherzinger who saw their potential as a group.

After just a few weeks of getting to know each other and non-stop rehearsing, the group impressed Simon at their Judge's Houses audition and sailed through to the live shows.

The pop Svengali later admitted to Rolling Stone that it took him 'about a millionth of a second' to spot the group's worldwide potential.

The fan reaction was instant too, with 1D hysteria soon dwarfing the show. Despite the adoration, the band ultimately finished in third place on the X Factor but shortly afterwards Cowell sealed their fate by signing the fivesome to a reported £2million Syco contract.

Keen to capitalise on the boys' already devoted fanbase, Cowell moved quickly with recording for the band's debut album beginning in January 2011.

By September of that year One Direction's first single was released with What Makes You Beautiful soaring to number one on the UK Singles Chart, after becoming the most pre-ordered Sony Music Entertainment single in history.

Their debut album, Up All Night was also a best seller, becoming the UK's fastest-selling debut album of 2011, with the record leading to their first tour which kicked off in the UK that December.

After Malik announced his departure from the band in 2015, the band members went their separate ways.

During their time as a group, One Direction won five Brit Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, amassed over three billion YouTube views and sold 50 million records worldwide.

After releasing five albums with one of the biggest boybands of all time, Liam released his first solo album titled LP1 in 2019.

His singles Strip That Down co-written with Ed Sheeran climbed its way to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that same year.

Over the course of his music career, the popstar collaborated with the likes of J Balvin, French Montana, Dixie D'Amelio and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie.

He was previously in a relationship with British pop sensation Cheryl Cole and the pair welcomed their son Bear Grey on March 22, 2017. The parents later split in 2018.

Following his romance with Ms Cole, Liam had an on-and-off relationship with ex-fiancée Maya Henry, and the pair called it quits in May, 2022.

He leaves behind his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, his son Bear, seven and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola.

MailOnline has approached Liam Payne's representatives for comment.

'I will never forget that. My thoughts are with his family, friends and fans at this horrendous time. Rest in peace Liam.'

Stephen Bartlett penned: 'I cannot believe what I'm reading about Liam Payne. Absolutely heartbreaking.'

Martin Lewis wrote: 'Shocking and tragic. Rip. I don't know him, but this felt like a gut punch reading about such a young man. Thoughts with his loves ones.

MTV released the following tribute: 'We're deeply saddened to learn of Liam Payne's tragic passing today. During this difficult time, our hearts remain with his family, loved one, and fans.'

The Brit Awards said: 'We're incredibly sad to learn of the tragic passing of Liam Payne. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family at this time.'

Spotify also added: ' We are deeply saddened by the news of Liam Payne's passing. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and the many fans who loved and supported him.'

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