Liam Payne’s Family Speaks Out After Manslaughter Charges Are Dropped Against 3 Men in Connection to His Death

• On Sunday, March 2, Liam Payne’s family broke their silence after three men were cleared of charges in connection with his death
• The family issued a statement to the BBC condemning “the constant media attention” following his death in October 2024
• They also said they accept the Court of Appeal’s “decision to drop all charges” against the three men

Liam’s Payne’s family has broken their silence after his friend and workers at the hotel where the singer died were cleared of charges.

On Sunday, March 2, the late One Direction alum’s family issued a statement to the BBC condemning “the constant media attention” following his death in October 2024 at the age of 31 after falling from the CasaSur Palermo Hotel’s balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“Liam’s death was an unspeakable tragedy,” they told the outlet. “This is a time of tremendous grief and pain for those who knew and loved him. Liam ought to have had a long life ahead of him. Instead, Bear has lost his father, Geoff and Karen have lost their son, Ruth and Nicola have lost their brother and all of Liam’s friends and fans have lost someone they held very dear.”

They continued: “We understand that the investigation into Liam’s death was absolutely necessary, and the family recognizes the work done by the Argentinian authorities. However, the family accepts the Court of Appeal’s decision to drop all charges.”

The family noted “the constant media attention and speculation” alongside the process “has exacted indescribable, lasting damage on the family, particularly on Liam’s son who is trying to process emotions which no seven-year-old should have to experience.”

“The family has always wished for privacy to grieve and asks that they be given the space and time to do so,” they said.

The family then referenced how their son was honored at the 2025 BRIT Awards on Saturday, March 1.

“This weekend, at the Brit Awards, Liam was remembered for his phenomenal contribution to British music and for his wider, positive impact on millions of adoring fans the world over. We joined in that celebration of his life and will forever remember the joy that his music brought to the world. Liam, you are so loved and missed,” they concluded.

On Feb. 19, Rolling Stone and the BBC reported that Roger Nores, along with Gilda Martin and Esteban Grassi, two employees of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel, had charges against them dropped following a hearing in Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Court.

The three men were charged with manslaughter in December relating to Payne’s death and each would have faced one to five years in prison if found guilty, the BBC reported.

However, Ezequiel Pereyra and Braian Paiz, who were accused of selling Payne drugs, will remain in prison as they await trial. Should they be convicted, they could face four to 14 years behind bars.

“Glad this is finally over,” Nores told Rolling Stone at the time. “I’m happy I’m now going to be able to travel to the UK and say goodbye to my friend.”

According to the Argentina Court of Appeals ruling, obtained by Rolling Stone, Nores was not involved in the late singer “obtaining and consuming alcohol,” and wouldn’t have been able to prevent Payne’s death.

“It is possible that, if he had stayed in his company at all times, [Payne] would not have obtained the drugs and alcohol in the quantities necessary for the state of intoxication he exhibited at the time of his death,” the ruling stated.

It continued: “But it cannot be ruled out that, even if he had taken those extreme precautions… that [Payne] would have managed to obtain the substances anyway, as is common among addicts, even when they are under the loving care of their family.”

In December, Nores had been charged after prosecutors claimed he failed “to fulfill his duties of care, assistance and aid” for Payne after he allegedly “abandoning him to his fate,” aware that the singer suffered from “multiple previous addictions.”

Additionally, the court ruled that Nores’ responsibility was no different than Payne’s family, referring to an email Nores sent to Payne’s father in August 2024 where he shared his concern for the One Direction alum.

According to prosecutors, Martin, head of security at CasaSur Palmero Hotel, was initially accused of failure to prevent Payne from going up to his hotel room before his death.

Prosecutors also claimed that Grassi, the chief receptionist who called emergency services just before Payne died, asked three people to “drag” Payne, who was unable to stand, to his hotel room instead of keeping him safe.

However, the judges declared there was not enough evidence against the CasaSur Palermo employees to have engaged in “thoughtless, reckless, or merely negligent behavior” regarding Payne’s death.

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After Payne died in October 2024, a preliminary autopsy revealed that he died of multiple injuries and “internal and external” hemorrhages. Per his toxicology report released in November, Payne had “alcohol, cocaine and prescription antidepressants” in his body.

In January, his cause of death was confirmed by an inquest in the UK as “polytrauma,” according to a hearing in December at Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court, per the BBC.

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