Former One Direction member Liam Payne’s hotel room was reportedly in chaos before his death, according to Argentinian police.
On the 17th (local time), Argentine media such as La Nación reported that Buenos Aires police found room 10 on the 3rd floor of the Casasur Hotel in the Palermo area to be “completely disordered and chaotic.” This was the room where Payne had been staying since the 13th, and where he was found deceased in the hotel patio the day before. The police believe that Payne fell from the 3rd-floor room.
La Nación reported that inside room 10, police found clonazepam, a sedative, as well as a lighter, whiskey, and containers with pharmaceuticals. Clonazepam is a medication used to treat seizures or panic disorders, which carries a risk of dependency and abuse and is thus considered a psychoactive drug.
Following the news of Payne’s death, some photos of Payne’s hotel room circulated on major social media platforms (SNS). These photos included a broken TV screen, unidentified powder, aluminum foil discarded messily in the bathtub, and partly burned soda cans, raising suspicions of drug use.
La Nación, citing anonymous police officers, reported that investigators are examining whether Payne experienced addiction symptoms or disorientation.
His fans and colleagues expressed their sadness at his death by leaving flowers or memorial notes in front of the Casasur Hotel. Ronnie Wood, guitarist of the British rock band the Rolling Stones, who performed with One Direction in the past, expressed his condolences, stating he was “shocked and saddened.” The American boy band Backstreet Boys also extended their sympathies, saying, “Our hearts go out to Directioners (One Direction fans) worldwide.”
Digital News Team Reporter Lee Yuna