Liam Payne had traces of a combination of drugs in his system – including ‘pink cocaine’ – when he plunged to his death from his hotel balcony, according to reports in Argentina.
The former One Direction singer died suddenly aged 31 after falling from the third floor of the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last Wednesday.
Argentine police and prosecutors investigating the tragedy are treating it as an ‘inconclusive death’ – as they continue to hunt the drug dealer who supplied him that night.
In a fresh update today, preliminary results from toxicology tests of Mr Payne’s remains have found traces of cocaine, benzodiazepine, crack cocaine and ‘pink cocaine’ – which is a combination of methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA.
While tests on the substances – white powder, traces of chemical crystals and prescription medicines – found at his suite at the boutique hotel continue, results from a post mortem of his body have been completed.
It determined that the singer died instantly from multiple injuries after falling 45ft from the third floor.
An improvised aluminium pipe, commonly used to smoke crack cocaine, was also found in his hotel room, according to news reports.
Argentine news website Infobae reported: ‘A forensic study carried out in Liam’s body determined the presence of cocaine.
‘A test carried out by the [Buenos Aires] City Police on the substance found on Liam’s room table have not confirmed the white powder as cocaine.
‘A second test is to follow to determine the nature of the drug.’
A report by news network ABC added: ‘A partial autopsy found that the former One Direction singer, who died at 31, had multiple substances in his system when he fell to his death from the third-floor balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Oct. 16th.
‘Those substances included “pink cocaine” – a recreational drug that typically is a mix of several drugs including methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA and others – as well as cocaine, benzodiazepine and crack.
‘An improvised aluminium pipe to ingest drugs was also found in his hotel room.’
It comes as police continue to hunt for the drug dealer who supplied Mr Payne.
MailOnline revealed yesterday that two hotel staff members are being investigated for supplying the star with hard drugs in the days leading up to the tragedy.
A cleaner and another member of staff are said to have hidden the drugs in a Dove Soap box which detectives found in Mr Payne’s room following his death.
Mr Payne’s body will not be released to his father Geoff Payne until all examinations have been concluded, according to Argentine judicial sources.
Mr Payne Snr is expected to stay in Buenos Aires until he can bring back his son’s body in person.
A funeral is expected to take place in Britain in November.
Mr Payne’s untimely death has sparked an outpouring of grief from family, friends and heartbroken fans.
The star’s sister paid a heartbreaking tribute today, saying her brother ‘lived for making people smile’.
In an emotional Instagram post today, Nicola Payne said that she ‘went cold’ when she found out her sibling had died in a hotel balcony fall.
She said she had spent the last few days hoping it was a mistake as she struggled to come to terms with Mr Payne’s tragic death.
Nicola shared family snaps as well as one of Mr Payne on stage with his 1D bandmates alongside an emotional tribute as she said: ‘You were truly too good for this earth, you are an angel who just lived for making people smile and happy.’
The 36-year-old told how Mr Payne had always shown kindness to everyone he met and his family were his ‘biggest fans always and forever’.
Nicola said she hoped the One Direction star had ‘finally found peace’ and criticised those who are ‘quick to judge someone from a few five second clips’.
‘When I saw the news pop up on my phone that you had left us I went cold,’ she said.
‘I wanted so much for this to be untrue. I have spent days hoping that it was a mistake and somebody has got it wrong.’
She added that she had been looking back at his excited messages from the night before his niece was born.
Nicola ended the post by writing: ‘I hope you have finally found peace up there and that you’ll continue to look after us all as you have done in life. We will make sure Bear knows about his daddy and how much you loved him, we promise this.
‘See you soon Liam, Love You xx.’
Two days ago, Mr Payne’s other sister Ruth Gibbins paid her own heartbreaking tribute as she thanked him for ‘changing my life’ and for ‘being the best brother and friend I’ll ever have’.
Nicola and Ruth are the singer’s two older sisters, making him the youngest of three siblings in the tight-knit family, who last week said they were ‘heartbroken’ by his death.
Ruth wrote on her Instagram: ‘I don’t believe this is happening. Many times I have poured my heart out publicly with pride about Liam but never much about life as his sister.
‘Liam is my best friend, no one could ever make me laugh as much as him, doing his impressions always had me creasing and he loved seeing how much of a laugh he could get.’
Ruth revealed she learned how to drive after Liam got through to the X Factor live shows when he was 17 as she ‘couldn’t stand the thought of not being able to get to him’.
She continued: ‘I would regularly drive to have tea with him after I finished work, just to sit around. One month the hotel was right by a wagamamas and I swear he had it morning, noon and night!
‘I used to love picking him up from work when it all started especially after concerts, speeding us away from venues and appearances, Liam plugging in his phone to show me the new songs for his albums.
‘Liam loved 1D, he loved his brothers and we talked about it so much. He would just play song after song that had been recorded but never used and we’d sit having a mini 1D concert.
‘Liam knew he could call me anytime, any day and I would pick up or that I would always fetch him if he needed to just come home. Our calls would often result in me laughing at his ideas and next adventure, talking through his plans and working through his issues but it would always end with ‘love you miss you’ ‘love you ru’.
‘Liam was born with music in his veins, it was clear from a very young age he just had that quality that would make him a star. I could sit and listen to him sing all day, which is a good job really because he never bloody stopped!
‘I will never tire of the look he gives when showing new songs, ‘listen loud’ he’d say and just grin with pride of his work.
‘I keep notes on my phone ‘things to tell Liam’ so that if he was away working for a while, I’d know what I needed to update him on. I suppose it’s only right I tell him now.’
Speaking to her brother directly, she continued: ‘Liam, my brain is struggling to catch up with what’s happening and I don’t understand where you’ve gone.
‘What I do love most about you is your ability to make me laugh, I never chuckle as much as I do when I’m with you with anyone else.
‘I don’t feel this world was good enough or kind enough to you, and quite often over the last few years, you’ve had to really try hard to overcome all that was being aimed at you.
‘You just wanted to be loved and to make people happy with your music. You never believed you were good enough, I hope you can now see this outpouring of love that you never received in your time.
‘I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. One last time I need you to know, I’m here if you need anything, I’d drive to the end of the universe to bring you back.’
Tributes have flooded in for the popstar from millions of friends and fans of Mr Payne, including the mother of his child Cheryl Cole.
The Girls Aloud singer was previously in a relationship with him for two years, with the pair welcoming Bear Grey into the world on March 22, 2017.
The grieving mother has taken to Instagram telling of her anguish as she tries ‘navigate this earth shattering event’.
Her statement read: ‘As I try to navigate this earth shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time.
‘I’d like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being.
‘Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our seven year old son.
‘A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.’
