In the weeks leading up to his tragic death on October 16, former One Direction star Liam Payne exhibited increasingly erratic behavior, according to multiple sources close to the singer. Payne, 31, died after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Sources close to Payne's girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, revealed that his behavior spiraled after she left their vacation early, just days before his fatal accident.
"He was a different person around her," a source close to Cassidy told PEOPLE, referencing videos and social media posts that showed a marked shift in Payne's demeanor. Cassidy, 25, had stood by Payne throughout his recent legal troubles with ex-fiancée Maya Henry, but her departure seems to have coincided with the singer's mental and emotional decline. Days before his death, Payne was reportedly "trashing the room" and behaving erratically, prompting hotel staff to call emergency services.
Buenos Aires police described finding Payne's hotel room "in total disorder" after the incident, with broken items, scattered prescription drugs like clonazepam (Klonopin), energy supplements, and a whiskey bottle among the debris. Payne's body was discovered in the hotel courtyard, alongside a lighter and cellphone that had fallen from his room. According to a preliminary autopsy, Payne died from "multiple injuries" and severe internal and external hemorrhages caused by the fall, particularly to his skull and limbs.
Payne's struggles with mental health and substance abuse had been evident for months prior to his death. Witnesses reported seeing him act erratically in public, including at a concert for his former bandmate, Niall Horan, in Argentina just days before his fall. A video from the event showed Payne dancing wildly in a private box, leading some fans to believe he was in distress. According to RadarOnline, some now view his erratic behavior as a "cry for help."
Further concerns emerged from a viral clip in which Payne was seen greeting fans and singing one of his songs, "Familiar." Fans noted that he appeared "strained" and "out of sorts," with one commenting, "You can literally see the sadness, the pain, and depression in his eyes." Another added, "He looks so sad inside, but you all make him feel so loved and appreciated."
Payne's inner circle had reportedly grown increasingly worried about his behavior over the past year. A source told The Sun that loved ones feared he was "spiraling," despite his recent move to the United States to start fresh. "For a while, things seemed to be looking up for him, but over the past year, there are fears he is spiraling," the source said.
Just weeks before his death, Payne uploaded a bizarre Snapchat video claiming he needed to "talk" with Horan, prompting fans to ask if he was okay. His concerning posts were further amplified by the cancellation of his South America tour earlier this year, after he was hospitalized for a severe kidney infection. His mother, Karen Payne, expressed her deep concern during that time, telling MailOnline, "We are all worried sick about it... It's horrible - him being all the way over there."
In the final days before his death, it was revealed that Payne had multiple drugs in his system, including "pink cocaine," a recreational drug cocktail that typically includes methamphetamine, ketamine, and MDMA. An aluminum pipe used to ingest drugs was also found in his hotel room. According to ABC News, the singer's erratic behavior likely worsened due to the combination of drugs and alcohol.
Payne's death shocked fans worldwide, many of whom had noticed alarming signs in his behavior long before the tragic accident. His struggles with substance abuse and mental health had become increasingly public in recent years, including controversial interviews and troubling public appearances. In 2022, he sparked outrage during an interview when he criticized former bandmate Zayn Malik, calling him a "d---." The interview, along with his behavior at the 2022 Oscars, where he appeared intoxicated and adopted an unusual accent, drew widespread attention.
The pressures of fame, combined with personal struggles, seem to have taken a toll on the singer, whose promising solo career was marred by ongoing health and personal issues. His relationship with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, appeared to offer some stability, but her early departure from their Argentina trip marked the beginning of a troubling downward spiral that culminated in his tragic death.
