Former One Direction star Liam Payne's tragic death on October 16 has sent shockwaves through the global music community. The 31-year-old British singer, best known for his rise to fame with the popular boy band, died after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Preliminary autopsy and toxicology reports reveal a cocktail of drugs in Payne's system, including "pink cocaine," a synthetic substance known for its hallucinogenic effects, as well as crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and benzodiazepine, according to multiple sources.
The circumstances leading to Payne's fatal fall remain under investigation, with authorities focusing on the potential influence of drugs and alcohol. Payne was reportedly seen behaving aggressively and erratically before his death. According to an anonymous source who spoke to ABC News, traces of narcotics and alcohol were found scattered around his hotel room, along with broken furniture and an improvised aluminum pipe, which investigators believe may have been used to ingest drugs.
A partial autopsy, conducted shortly after Payne's death, indicated that he suffered "multiple trauma" from the fall, which resulted in extensive internal and external bleeding in his skull, chest, and abdomen. Argentine prosecutors, who are leading the investigation, have yet to determine whether Payne's fall was accidental or intentional, although early indications suggest he may have been in a state of semi-consciousness or total unconsciousness at the time. A lack of defensive wounds on Payne's body has ruled out the involvement of others in his death.
Photos reportedly taken from inside Payne's hotel room, published in local Argentine media, paint a disturbing picture of the singer's final moments. The images show white powder, believed to be narcotics, scattered across tables, alongside a smashed TV screen. Police also discovered a blister pack of clonazepam, a central nervous system depressant often prescribed to treat anxiety or seizures, mixed with over-the-counter medications. Shortly before the incident, hotel staff had alerted authorities about a guest exhibiting aggressive behavior, presumably under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
The toxicology results, which have not yet been made fully public, have been cited in reports from TMZ and ABC News. Both outlets noted that Payne had consumed a combination of methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA, and crack cocaine-substances that form part of the mix commonly referred to as "pink cocaine." Addiction specialist Richard Taite told Us Weekly that despite its name, pink cocaine is not actually a form of cocaine but rather a synthetic drug with psychedelic effects similar to MDMA or ecstasy. "Pink cocaine has nothing to do with cocaine. It's a synthetic psychedelic drug, and very addictive," Taite explained.
Taite added that the combination of pink cocaine with other substances, such as ketamine or fentanyl, could significantly impair a person's cognitive abilities, potentially contributing to dangerous behavior. "Just because he didn't pass out, doesn't mean he didn't overdose. When you fall out of a window because you're so inebriated and you die, that's an overdose," Taite stated.
Payne's struggles with substance abuse were no secret. In a 2021 interview on Diary of a CEO, the singer opened up about his past issues with drugs and alcohol, confessing that he had a "problem" with pills and booze during his time in One Direction. Despite attempts at recovery, his recent behavior in Argentina suggests that these personal battles may have resurfaced in the days leading up to his death.
Payne's death has left his family, friends, and fans devastated. His father, Geoff Payne, has traveled to Buenos Aires to facilitate the repatriation of his son's remains to the United Kingdom. Fans around the world have expressed their grief, with hundreds gathering in England to mourn the singer's untimely passing. Payne leaves behind his seven-year-old son, Bear, whom he shared with ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole, as well as his parents and sisters.
