The former One Direction member tragically passed away on October 16 in Argentina. Liam fell from the third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur hotel in Buenos Aires. His father, Geoff Payne, immediately flew to Argentina from the UK after the tragedy. He has been in the country since then. Grief-stricken, Geoff identified his son’s body, visited the scene of the incident, and gave a statement to the police. Investigators informed Geoff that it would take up to 15 days to complete all the necessary tests.
Liam’s body remained in Argentina while local authorities conducted their investigation. News of the repatriation surfaced shortly after the Argentine press reported that the necessary documents for returning the body had been processed. On Wednesday, the body was handed over to his family. This was confirmed by prosecutor Andrés Madrea. Liam was brought back to the UK three weeks after the tragedy.
The investigation into the artist’s death is still ongoing. It has been confirmed that his death was caused by internal and external bleeding, as well as multiple injuries sustained from the fall. Traces of a drug mixture were found in his system. Hotel staff are suspected of supplying the star with illegal substances, and searches are being conducted at their residences.
Argentine media reported that the police have surveillance footage confirming that Liam fell from the balcony after losing consciousness. While in Argentina, Liam was accompanied by his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, who had returned to the US two days before his death.
Liam’s funeral is expected to take place in the coming days. It is anticipated to be a grand ceremony, with his One Direction bandmates—Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik—likely to attend. “Liam will be laid to rest with great honors, probably in a large cathedral near his home. He was so deeply loved that there will undoubtedly be huge public interest, making it a large-scale event. Everything is ready for this, and the next step will be an announcement of the funeral details.”
According to other sources, the location of the service will be kept private due to heightened public attention and the large number of fans who wish to pay their respects. Those close to the late singer shared that the farewell will take place in a chapel “close to his heart.” Liam grew up in Wolverhampton.
