Liam Payne attends Annabel’s 60th anniversary party (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Annabel’s)

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA: Investigators are trying to figure out the cause of Liam Payne’s death even as prosecutors claim that his association with Argentinian waiter Braian Nahuel Paiz, 24, might have led to his tragic death.

According to information obtained by Daily Mail, the former One Direction member met Paiz at Cabana Las Lilas restaurant, beginning an odd friendship that Argentine prosecutors claimed contributed to the singer’s terrible and untimely death two weeks later.

 
Liam Payne attends the star-studded Sake Ceremony hosted by Nobu Matsuhisa (Samir Hussein/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal)

Liam Payne’s association with Braian Nahuel Paiz allegedly led to his tragic death

The former One Direction member, 31, died after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16, 2024.

According to a press statement issued by Argentina’s public prosecutor on November 7, 2024, Payne’s death was not determined to be a suicide.

The statement clarified that the circumstances “rule out the possibility of a conscious or voluntary act.”

“In the state he was in, he did not know what he was doing nor could he understand it,” it added, per Us Weekly.

Argentine prosecutors are now claiming that Payne and Paiz formed an unlikely friendship that contributed to the singer’s tragic death – 48 hours after his girlfriend Kate Cassidy left Argentina.

There have been at least three distinct encounters between the two men, “secret” Instagram accounts, possibly fatal drug concoctions, and even allegations that Payne sent Paiz his T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms as “mementoes” of their friendship.

The ‘Story of My Life’ singer was on a two-week trip to the capital of South America when he plummeted 46 feet from the balcony of Room 10 in the CasaSur hotel in the upscale Palermo neighborhood on October 16.

Paiz gave a single, short interview to the Argentinian TV network Telefe Noticias, despite reportedly going into hiding and refusing to talk to reporters since Payne’s death.

According to Paiz’s story, Payne intended to acquire drugs at the restaurant, so he asked him for his contact information. Paiz stated that the two spoke over Instagram that night, with Payne using a secret account run under a covert identity.

“He sent me messages because he wanted to do drugs. I think he was going to a concert or something. We swapped details and saw each other later that night,” Paiz said in the interview.
 Liam Payne visits the Kiss FM Studio (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for ABA)
Payne reportedly attended Niall Horan’s performance after dining at the restaurant, and he seemed to be in a good mood. He posted a photo with Horan on social media following the performance, writing, “Reunited.”

Payne allegedly called Paiz to meet him at the Park Hyatt Palermo later that evening. Paiz told Argentine TV that when he got lost trying to find the star’s room, Payne even walked down to pick him up from the lobby.

Piaz added that they shared “some whiskey shots” and listened to some of Payne’s unreleased music. He said, “We took drugs together,” on the evening of their second meeting, which took place on October 13, eleven days after their initial encounter.

Liam Payne and Braian Nahuel Paiz allegedly spent ‘intimate’ moments together

Another turn of events occurred when Paiz revealed to Argentine television that the two had an “intimate” time together on October 13. He asserted, “We spent the night together, we consumed drugs because the truth is that something intimate happened.”

Paiz said, “He wasn’t aggressive at all, he behaved really well with me, he was really sweet. He asked me if I was OK. I’ve got all the messages where we arranged that second meeting. I haven’t erased anything.”

“When I left, he wanted to give me some clothes so that I had a memory of being with him. But I left them behind because I didn’t want to take them. It was some grey jogging bottoms and a T-shirt,” the young waiter added.

Later on Instagram, Paiz emphasized, “I never said I had sex with anyone.” Then he deleted that message.

Paiz texted Payne another time after their late-night meeting on October 13 that had lasted until the morning: “I told Liam a best friend of mine wanted to meet him because he was a fan.” The singer agreed and drove to Paiz’s home that morning on October 14, two days before his death.

Paiz met Payne for the second time at the infamous CasaSur hotel, where the singer would die three days later.

According to footage obtained following Payne’s death, crumpled bits of burnt tin foil, a lighter, and traces of white powder are among the many drug items found in the star’s apartment.

It is important to note that Paiz has flatly denied giving the pop artist drugs, saying, “I never took drugs to him.” The Argentine attorney general, however, maintained that Paiz is accountable for dispersing “two clearly verified supplies [of cocaine] during two different times,” which appears to be related to his two stays at Payne’s hotels.

Paiz shared two photographs with the singer the day after Payne died, writing, “Fly high, Chief. Thank you for having enlightened me and for crossing into my reality. I will always remember you. See you on other side.”

Payne’s admirers were incensed by the heartfelt message, perhaps accusing Paiz of providing at least part of the drugs that contributed to their idol’s demise. Paiz later disabled comments to stop this outpouring of hate.

For now, Argentine officials are still looking into Paiz and Ezequiel David Pereyra, a 21-year-old hotel employee. Paiz has turned in his passport to the authorities and is awaiting word on whether a court will hear a case.