Three people have been charged in connection to former One Direction band member Liam Payne’s death, Argentina’s prosecutor told CBS News Thursday.
The suspects were charged and arrested after authorities concluded their investigation into the 31-year-old’s death.
Payne died on October 10 after falling from the third floor of a balcony of the Casa Sur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
A source told CBS that one suspect, a person who authorities claim to be Payne’s “friend” was reportedly charged with abandonment after leaving the pop star alone in his room before his death.
Abandonment charges carry a sentence of five to 15 years in prison, the Argentina National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office said.
The other suspect, a hotel housekeeper was accused of supplying narcotics, including cocaine, in a soap box to Payne. Only hotel staff had access to that soap supply, authorities claim.
The third suspect, the alleged drug dealer has been charged with two counts of supplying narcotics. Officials did not reveal what the sentence for those charges could be.
All three suspects have been notified of the charges, the prosecutor’s office revealed, and have been prohibited from leaving the country.
None of the suspects were identified by name.
Earlier reports indicated that Payne had been acting erratically before leaping from the hotel balcony. However, authorities now contend that he actually fell.
According to the prosecutor, Payne was likely not “not fully conscious or was experiencing a state of noticeable decrease or loss of consciousness” at the time of the fall.
“For the prosecution, this situation would also rule out the possibility of a conscious or voluntary act on the victim’s part,” they continued.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the investigation involved nine raids on homes in the region and numerous interviews with hotel staff, Payne’s family and friends, and medical, biochemical, and psychiatric experts.
Investigators also examined over 800 hours of video from the hotel and nearby streets and performed a forensic analysis of Payne’s cell phone to trace his digital activity in the days leading up to his death.
An autopsy was also conducted, after which Payne’s body was released to his father Geoff Payne.
Toxicology tests conducted as part of the autopsy showed that in the last 72 hours before Payne’s death, the singer had consumed alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant drug in his system.
The prosecutor’s office did not refer to pink cocaine, which ABC News citing sources has reported to be in Payne’s system when he died.
Medical experts also found that the 31-year-old only had injuries from his fall.
All of the information gathered by investigators was compiled into a 180-page report submitted to Judge Laura Bruniard, who oversees criminal cases.
Judge Bruniard approved the charges against the three individuals, though the investigation remains ongoing.
According to the prosecutor’s office, investigators are still working to gain access to Payne’s other personal devices.
In the meantime, Payne’s body has been transferred to the U.K. and will be transported on a British Airways flight for his funeral.
