Former One Direction member Liam Payne’s friend has alleged the 31-year-old was “close to death” multiple times before his tragic fall in October. Payne died on Oct. 16 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Argentina. The cause of death was reported to be severe trauma, with internal and external bleeding.
Roger Nores, a friend of Payne, testified about the late singer’s struggles with substance abuse as part of his defense against charges of abandonment leading to death, according to an article from NME. Prosecutors accuse Nores of leaving Payne in a state where he could not care for himself or was mentally unfit. If convicted, Nores could face five to 15 years in prison.
Last week, a judge ordered an “indagatoria,” a formal interrogation of suspects as part of the ongoing investigation. In a 91-page response, Nores shared his account, including screenshots of conversations with Payne’s acquaintances.
“I was a friend who loved him very much, who helped him selflessly in everything I could, who spent my own money to help him, and even then it was not enough,” Nores wrote, according to Rolling Stone. “I do not consider that I deserve the accusation that is being [leveled] at me.”
Nores also criticized hotel staff, claiming their actions contributed to Payne’s death. He alleged that staff moved Payne’s body back to his room, writing that “none of this would have happened.”
The document outlines Payne’s ongoing battle with substance abuse, saying that he attended rehab centers and was hospitalized twice in London in late 2023. Nores wrote that Payne had to be resuscitated on two occasions, writing: “Professionals had to resort to resuscitation [maneuvers] to save his life, without his family or friends being able to do anything to avoid these situations or help him.”
Nores alleged Payne’s condition worsened in early 2024. It led him to enter a rehabilitation facility in Spain in March.
Nores is one of five individuals charged in connection with Payne’s death. The judge will now decide whether to move forward with prosecutions, dismiss charges against any of the defendants or conclude there is insufficient evidence to proceed.
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