Newly surfaced surveillance footage offers a glimpse into the final hours of Liam Payne's life, capturing an interaction between the former One Direction singer and a hotel employee now implicated in his death. The video, obtained by TMZ, shows Payne stepping out of an elevator at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires and engaging with Ezequiel David Pereyra, a bellboy charged with allegedly delivering drugs to the singer.
The footage, recorded at approximately 2:04 PM, shows Payne shaking hands and exchanging words with Pereyra in the hotel's basement, hours before Payne tragically fell from his third-floor hotel suite balcony. The familiarity between the two suggests they had met before during Payne's stay. Although authorities have not officially confirmed the identity of the hotel staffer in the footage, police have acknowledged its inclusion in their ongoing investigation.
Payne died on October 16, with an autopsy revealing the presence of multiple substances in his system, including cocaine, ketamine, and methamphetamine. Prosecutors assert that Payne's death was not a suicide but was influenced by the drugs he had consumed. Three individuals have been implicated in the case: Pereyra, a friend accused of abandoning Payne, and a drug dealer who has publicly denied any connection to supplying substances. "I never supplied drugs or received money from him," the dealer stated.
Court documents indicate that Payne's drugs were delivered concealed within a Dove soap box-a detail that has intensified scrutiny on Pereyra, who, alongside others, faces severe charges.
The narrative becomes further complicated with statements from Braian Nahuel Paiz, a former waiter at one of the hotel's restaurants, who has also been charged. Paiz, speaking with Telefe Noticias, denied supplying drugs to Payne. He recounted meeting Payne at a restaurant on October 2, where the singer was dining with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, and two others. "We exchanged contact information," Paiz said, describing how Payne later escorted him around the hotel premises.
Over time, their interactions reportedly deepened. Paiz claims to have visited Payne's room, where they allegedly shared music and whiskey. He maintains that Payne was already under the influence when they met, stating, "He was already on drugs" and refused food. Paiz also alleges Payne asked for a drug dealer's contact, which he purportedly provided via Instagram.
Paiz described subsequent meetings with Payne, claiming they involved drug use. He depicted the singer as "paranoid" and "scared" in his final days, alleging that Payne took extreme measures to isolate himself. "He was really sweet. He asked me if I was OK," Paiz noted.
Rogelio "Roger" Nores, another individual facing charges of abandonment, denies any culpability. Nores, a businessman who befriended Payne in 2020, told the Daily Mail, "I never abandoned him." He described multiple visits to Payne on the day of his death and noted that "there were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him" before he left.
Authorities continue to comb through over 800 hours of surveillance footage as they piece together Payne's final days. The case highlights the singer's struggles with addiction and raises questions about the events leading up to his tragic fall. Payne's father, Geoff, recently brought his son's body home to England for burial, leaving family and fans mourning a devastating loss.
