By Ole Braatelien October 19, 2024 at 11:42am
Former One Direction singer Liam Payne may have been on a powerful hallucinogen at the time of his deadly fall on Wednesday, Argentinian police told TMZ.
Police said Payne may have been on “cristal,” a drug known for inducing “psychotic attacks” and hallucinations.
Cristal can also cause users to behave aggressively, which Payne was reportedly doing just before his death.
Police have not confirmed the presence of the hallucinogen in Payne’s system, however, as the toxicology results have not been disclosed.
But photos published Thursday by La Nacion, Argentina’s biggest newspaper, paint a glum picture.
The photos reveal Payne’s hotel room littered with drug paraphernalia, including a lighter, burned aluminum foil and white powder.
Pictures also show a half-empty champagne glass, a smashed television and other objects.
— axel ☔️ (@luhaxel) October 17, 2024
Are you a fan of Liam Payne?
If You’re Strugglin with Any Substance Abuse, This is for YOU!
These pics are supposed to be from Liam Payne’s hotel room, where this tragedy happened. I don’t know if they’re legit. But I do know what the items in the pics are.
When I was 18-19, I had two close friends… pic.twitter.com/xpdGg8hMDo
— Robert Fernandez (@robertfernandhc) October 18, 2024
According to the Toronto Sun, Payne had a history of alcohol and prescription drug addiction.
He also struggled with “really severe” suicidal thoughts at the height of his fame with One Direction.
Payne, 31, died Wednesday, after falling to his death from the third story of the hotel he was staying at: the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
He had been vacationing with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, who had left Argentina on Monday, TMZ reported.
Fans of Liam Payne from Britain to Buenos Aires paid tribute to the former One Direction singer after he fell to his death from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Argentina’s capital https://t.co/OZRuW2OKkX pic.twitter.com/86zY4ieFJ7
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 18, 2024
Just before his death, hotel staff had expressed concern about the singer and his safety, NBC News reported, citing a Telemundo report.
“We have a guest who is overindulged in drugs and alcohol and … Well, when he is conscious he breaks, he is breaking the whole room. Well, we need you to send someone, please,” the employee reportedly said.
“The guest is in a room that has a balcony and, well, we are a little afraid that he might do something life-threatening.”
Ole Braatelien has written for The Western Journal since 2022. He earned his bachelor’s from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
