Five charged over Liam Payne’s hotel plunge death, including star’s friend

Five people have been charged in connection with Liam Payne’s death, including a friend of the star.

Several people have reportedly been charged in connection with Liam Payne’s death in Argentina two months ago.

Local Argentinian online newspaper Infobae reported on Saturday that five people have been charged by a judge and two have been remanded in custody.

It claims among those charged is Payne’s friend Roger Nores, who reportedly left the singer at the CasaSur Palermo hotel about an hour before he fell to his death on October 16.

Five people have been charged over Liam Payne’s hotel death in October. Picture: Tolga AKMEN / AFP

Nores is said to have been charged with negligent homicide, although it is yet unknown if he has been taken into custody by police.

Braian Paiz – a waiter who admitted to using drugs, including cocaine, with Payne – was reportedly charged with supplying narcotics for payment, while hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra was also charged with supplying drugs.

Meanwhile, two hotel managers Gilda Martín and Esteban Grassi have reportedly been charged with manslaughter.

Receptionist manager Grassi was the hotel employee who called 911 moments before Payne fell from the third floor balcony of his hotel suite.

According to the newspaper, all five men have been summoned to appear in court.

Payne and girlfriend Kate Cassidy (right) with Roger Nores (left) and his girlfriend (front) in the days before Payne’s death. Picture: Snapchat

The charges come weeks after Nores, who is one of Payne’s closest friends, denied claims that he had anything to do with the British pop star’s death, while also denying suggestions he was arrested along with Pereyra and Paiz.

“I went to his hotel three times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened,” Nores told The Sun at the time. “I could have never imagined something like this would happen.”

Payne with Argentinian waiter Braian Nahuel Paiz, one of those charged in relation to his death. Picture: Instagram

“I haven’t spoken to any police officer or prosecutor ever since,” he continued. “I wasn’t Liam’s manager, he was just my very dear friend and please refer to the email I sent to Liam and his team on August 23rd.”

“I’m really heartbroken with this tragedy, and I’ve missing my friend every day.”

Nores was referring to an email he had sent Payne’s father and his management team in August, in which he voiced his worries as the singer had only been clean for four months.

“I’m really concerned for his wellbeing while he is out there [in the UK] and I hope you can bring professional doctors to check on his health regularly as soon as possible as I did while he was out in the US,” Nores wrote, according to Page Six.

“I am going to stay fully out of the picture and disconnected from now on and I wish you all the best with Liam’s health and career.”